Trace-mineral salt for steers on a fattening ration (Concrete and shelter vs. dirt and no shelter) with observations on shrink

Previous data reported from this station seem to indicate that supplemental dietary trace minerals may be valuable under certain feeding conditions. Those data also indicated that trace minerals might be related to weight loss during shipping. This study was designed to further determine the value of supplemental dietary trace minerals when cattle were on concrete and had shelter available and when they were on dirt with no shelter

The use of tranquilizer compounds in wintering rations for steers.

Recent experimental work with chemical tranquilizers has indicated that these substances may be of value in the fattening ration of beef cattle under certain conditions. Theoretically at least, the chemical tranquilizers should calm the animals and thus reduce the amount of energy lost due to nervousness and unnecessary muscular activity. It is also possible that they have some other effect upon the animal which leads to increased weight gains and improved feed efficiency. The trial reported herein• was designed to determine whether or not tranquilizer compounds will improve the performance of beef cattle on a wintering ration

Diethylstilbestrol implant plus oral Chlortetracycline vs. Oral Chlortetracycline alone for fattening steers

Hereford steers used in this study were fed in outdoor dirt lots without shelter. Each steer in lot 23, described in a trace-mineral study reported elsewhere in this publication, received a 24-mg. implant of diethylstilbestrol on the first day of the feeding period. Steers in both lots received 70 mgs. of oral chlortetracycline each day during the feeding period

Response of fattening steers to oral or injected vitamin A, with observations on shrink

Steers used in an antibiotic study and a trace mineral study reported elsewhere in this publication were also used in a study designed to further evaluate the use of supplemental vitamin A during the fattening period. The animals used showed no visual symptoms of vitamin A deficiency any time. However, the diets fed and the management practices followed were similar to those in studies at other stations where supplemental vitamin A was evaluated

PRODUÇÃO ANIMAL EM PASTAGEM DE MILHETO SOB DIFERENTES NÍVEIS DE NITROGÊNIO ANIMAL PRODUCTION IN PEARL MILLET PASTURE UNDER DIFFERENT NITROGEN LEVELS

O experimento foi conduzido em área da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, RS, com o objetivo de verificar os efeitos de três níveis de adubação nitrogenada (0, 150 e 300 kg/ha de N) em pastagem de milheto (Pennisetum americanum (L.) Leeke) cv. Comum, sobre a produção animal. Foram utilizados novilhos de corte e avaliados o desempenho por animal, o número de animais.dia/ha e o ganho de peso vivo por área. O sistema de pastejo adotado foi o contínuo, com ajustes de carga para manter uma pressão de pastejo de 10%, caracterizando um resíduo médio de 3.168 kg de matéria seca/ha. As variáveis dependentes mostraram relação linear positiva com os níveis de adubação nitrogenada, o que denota o alto potencial do milheto.<br>An experiment was conducted at the Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, in Santa Maria, RS, Brazil, with the objective of evaluating the effects of three N levels (0, 150 and 300 kg/ha), in pearl millet (Pennisetum americanum (L.) Leeke) cv. Comum, on animal production. Beef steers were assayed through daily liveweigh gain, gain per hectare and animals.day/hectare. A continuous grazing system was used, with stocking rate adjustments to maintain a 10% grazing pressure that characterized a medium residue of 3,168 kg of DM/ha. The dependent variables showed a positive linear relationship with the N levels, denoting the high animal production potential of pearl millet

Efeitos da monensina no desempenho de bezerras leiteiras em crescimento Effects of monensin on growing dairy heifers performance

Foi estudado o efeito da suplementação de monensina sobre o desempenho de 32 novilhas Holandesas em crescimento, com peso médio de 84 kg, durante quatro meses . Os animais suplementados com monensina apresentaram maior peso e perímetro torácico aos 90 e 120 dias de experimentação, maior ganho de peso, mostrando um valor de 26,56% maior do que os animais controle. Não foi observada diferença no comprimento corporal e glicose sangüínea, enquanto a altura na cernelha apresentou tendência a valores mais altos nos animais suplementados. Concluiu-se que a suplementação de monensina resultou em maior desenvolvimento dos animais, podendo proporcionar precocidade reprodutiva e produtiva de novilhas leiteiras de reposição.<br>The performance of 32 growing Holstein heifers, with average weight of 84 kg and supplemented with monensin, during four months, was studied. The animals supplemented with monensin presented higher weight and hearth girth at 90 and 120 days of experiment, higher weight gain, with value of 26.56% superior than the control animals. No difference was observed for the corporal length, plasma glucose and the height values. The animals fed monensin presented higher height values. The animals supplemented with monensin showed better development. The use of monensin provided reproductive and productive precocity for the replacement dairy heifers

Decomposição de serrapilheira em bosque de sabiá na Zona da Mata de Pernambuco Litter decomposition under a sabiá canopy in the Forest Zone in Pernambuco

Objetivou-se avaliar a decomposição de frações de serrapilheira de sabiá (Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth) utilizando-se a técnica de sacos de náilon. Foram incubadas as seguintes frações de serrapilheira: folha senescente, folha no início da mineralização e ramos com até 20 mm de diâmetro. A incubação foi realizada nos períodos de 0, 4, 8, 16, 64, 100 e 256 dias nos anos de 2006 e 2007. As frações foram distribuídas em blocos ao acaso com cinco repetições. Foram avaliados os desaparecimentos de biomassa, nitrogênio (N) e fósforo (P), as concentrações de nitrogênio e fósforo e a relação carbono/ nitrogênio da serrapilheira ao longo dos períodos de incubação. De modo geral, o modelo exponencial negativo explicou o desaparecimento de biomassa, nitrogênio e fósforo, todavia, houve variação entre anos e, em alguns casos, apesar de significativos, os modelos apresentaram baixa correlação entre dados observados e preditos. A taxa de desaparecimento de biomassa foi lenta, uma vez que apenas 30% de biomassa de folhas foi mineralizada após 256 dias de incubação. A mineralização líquida de nitrogênio apresentou ampla variação entre anos e diferiu entre as frações estudadas. O teor de nitrogênio da serrapilheira incubada aumentou, em média, até os 32 dias (folhas) e até os 64 dias (ramos) de incubação, estabilizando-se em seguida. Foi usado o modelo platô linear para explicar esse processo. Com o passar dos períodos de incubação, a relação carbono/ nitrogênio diminuiu. Apesar de elevado teor de nitrogênio, a decomposição da serrapilheira de sabiá é lenta, o que pode reduzir as perdas de nutrientes no bosque, aumentando sua sustentabilidade e reduzindo os possíveis efeitos deletérios ao ambiente.<br>The research aimed to evaluate the decomposition of sabiá (Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth) litter fractions by using the nylon bag technique. The following litter fractions were incubated: senescent leaves, leaves at the beginning of mineralization, and branches with diameter up to 20 mm. Incubation was performed during periods of 0, 4, 8, 16, 64, 100, and 256 days in 2006 and 2007. The fractions were distributed in a random block design with five replications. It was evaluated the disappearance of biomass, nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P), concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus and the carbon/ nitrogen ratio of litter during the periods of incubation. In general, the negative exponential model explained the disappearance of biomass, nitrogen, and phosphorus, however, there was a variation among years and, in some cases, despite of being significant, the models showed a low correlation between predicted and observed data. Biomass disappearance rate was slow because only 30% of leaf biomass was mineralized after 256 days of incubation. Net nitrogen mineralization showed large variation among years, and it differed among the studied fractions. Nitrogen content of the litter increased, on average, until 32 days (leaves) and until 64 days (branches) of incubation followed by stabilization. The linear plateau model was used to explain that process. In the course of the incubation periods, the carbon/nitrogen ration decreased. Despite of the high content of nitrogen, the decomposition of sabiá litter is slow, what might reduce the loss of nutrients in the forest, increasing its sustainability and reducing the possible deleterious effects to the environment