Acceptability by Girolando heifers and nutritional value of erect prickly pear stored for different periods

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o valor nutricional da palma orelha-de-elefante-mexicana (OEM) (Opuntia stricta), armazenada por diferentes períodos, e sua aceitabilidade por novilhas Girolando. Foram utilizadas cinco novilhas distribuídas em quadrado latino 5x5. Os tratamentos foram os seguintes: palma OEM, sem armazenamento; OEM armazenada por três períodos pós-colheita – 7, 14 e 21 dias; e palma‑miúda (PM) (Nopalea cochenillifera) sem armazenamento, como tratamento controle. As dietas oferecidas aos animais foram compostas de palmas dos diferentes tratamentos, assim como silagem de cana-de-açúcar e farelo de soja, e foram avaliadas quanto à composição químico-bromatológica, consumo e digestibilidade dos nutrientes. O comportamento ingestivo das novilhas foi avaliado. A palma OEM não diferiu da PM quanto à matéria orgânica, proteína bruta, fibra em detergente neutro corrigida quanto às cinzas e proteína, carboidratos não fibrosos, carboidratos totais, extrato etéreo e matéria mineral; no entanto, a palma OEM diferiu da PM quanto à matéria seca e à fibra em detergente neutro indigestível, quando armazenada por diferentes períodos. O peso das novilhas variou em 1,35 kg, com a baixa inclusão de concentrado na dieta. A palma orelha-de-elefante-mexicana mantém constante seu valor nutricional e sua aceitabilidade pelas novilhas Girolando, após armazenamento por diferentes períodos até 21 dias.The objective of this work was to evaluate the nutritional value of erect prickly pear (EPP) (Opuntia stricta), stored for different periods, and its acceptability by Girolando heifers. Five heifers were distributed in a 5x5 Latin square. The treatments were as follows: EPP without storage time; stored EPP for three post‑harvest periods – 7, 14, and 21 days; and cochineal nopal cactus (CNC) (Nopalea cochenillifera) without storage time, as a control treatment. The diets offered to the animals were composed of cacti of the different treatments, as well as sugarcane silage and soybean meal, and were evaluated for their chemical composition, intake, and nutrient digestibility. The ingestive behavior of the heifers was evaluated. The cactus EPP did not differ from the CNC for organic matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber corrected for ash and protein, nonfibrous carbohydrates, total carbohydrates, ether extract, and mineral matter; however, EPP stored for different periods differed from CNC for dry matter and indigestible neutral detergent fiber. Heifer weights varied 1.35 kg with the low inclusion of concentrate in the diet. The cactus erect prickly pear maintains constant both its nutritional value and its acceptability to Girolando heifers, after storage for different periods up to 21 days

Intake, digestibility, and ingestive behavior of sheep fed with thornless Mandacaru, cactus pear genotypes Orelha de Elefante Mexicana and Miúda

This study aimed to evaluate the intake, digestibility, and ingestive behavior of sheep fed with different species of forage cacti. Fifteen sheep (17.27kg ± 1 kg) were distributed in a completely randomized experimental design with three treatments and five replicates. The treatments were diets on a dry matter basis composed of 430.9 g kg-1 of thornless Mandacaru cactus (Cereus hildmannianus), 525.7 g kg-1 of cactus pear cv. Orelha de Elefante Mexicana (Opuntia stricta) and 492.1 g kg-1 of cactus pear cv. Miúda (Nopalea cochenillifera) in addition to Sabiá hay (Mimosa caesalpiniaefolia) (194.7 to 233.8 g kg-1), plus concentrate feed. The intake of the dry matter, organic matter, ether extract, neutral detergent fiber, total carbohydrates, non-fiber carbohydrates, total digestible nutrients and voluntary water intake in g day-1 was not differ (p > 0.05) by experimental diets. There were no differences (p > 0.05) in digestibility coefficients of the dry matter, organic matter, neutral detergent fiber, total carbohydrates, non-fiber carbohydrates, and total digestible nutrients between the experimental diets. The feeding times differed (p 0.05). The cactus Cereus and Opuntia and Nopalea have similar nutritional value in sheep’s diet

Dairy cows performance fed whole cottonseed in a forage of cactus-base diet

Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito da inclusão do caroço de algodão em dietas à base de palma forrageira (Opuntia ficus indica Mill.), sobre o desempenho de vacas da raça Holandesa em lactação. O experimento foi feito com cinco vacas, com média de 50 dias de lactação, distribuídas em quadrado latino 5x5. Os tratamentos experimentais foram constituídos da inclusão de caroço de algodão em 0, 6,25, 12,50, 18,75 e 25% da matéria seca da dieta. O caroço de algodão aumentou o consumo de matéria seca, extrato etéreo, nutrientes digestíveis totais, cálcio e fósforo; porém não afetou o consumo de proteína bruta e fibra em detergente neutro. O caroço de algodão aumentou a produção de leite corrigido para 3,5% de gordura (de 26,53 para 31,68 kg por dia), e a produção de gordura do leite (de 0,86 para 1,09 kg por dia); não afetou, porém, a produção de leite sem correção (31,19 kg por dia), a porcentagem de gordura do leite (3,18%) e a eficiência alimentar (1,31 kg de leite corrigido por quilograma de matéria seca consumida). O caroço de algodão melhorou o desempenho animal, quando incluído em até 25% da matéria seca em dietas à base de palma forrageira.The effect of the whole cottonseed on dairy cows performance fed forage cactus (Opuntia ficus indica Mill.) diet was evaluated. Experiment was made with five Holstein cows, in a 50-days lactation, which were placed into a 5x5 latin square design. The whole cottonseed was added as a partial replacement of sorghum silage and soybean meal, in a level of 0, 6.25, 12.50, 18.75, and 25.00% of dry matter. It was observed that addition of whole cottonseed increased the dry matter, ether extract, total digestible nutrients, calcium and phosphorus intake, but did not affect the crude protein and neutral detergent fiber intake. Also, it increased the fat corrected milk yield 3.5% (26.53 to 31.68 kg per day) and the fat milk yield (0.86 to 1.09 kg per day), but did not affect the noncorrected milk yield (31.19 kg per day), milk fat content (3.19%) and feed efficiency (1.31 kg of fat corrected milk per kilogram of dry matter intake). The results suggest that addition of the whole cottonseed in up to 25% of dry matter improves the Holstein cows performance

Chemical composition, fractionation of carbohydrates and nitrogen compounds, ruminal degradation kinetics, and in vitro gas production of cactus pear genotypes

The aim of this study was to evaluate the chemical composition, fractionation of carbohydrates and nitrogen compounds, degradation parameters, and in vitro ruminal fermentation of cactus pear genotypes. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with 4 cactus pear genotypes and 4 replicates. The evaluated cactus pear genotypes were: Miúda (Nopalea cochenillifera Salm Dyck), IPA Sertânia (Nopalea cochenillifera), Gigante (Opuntia ficus indica Mill), and Orelha de Elefante Mexicana (Opuntia stricta Haw), all in natura. Samples were randomly collected at different points in the experimental area. Whole plants were collected 24 months after field crop establishment. N. cochenillifera Salm Dyck presented the highest dry matter, acid detergent insoluble protein, non-fibrous carbohydrate, total digestible nutrients, digestible energy, total carbohydrates, and fractions A + B1 (P<0.05), while presenting lower neutral detergent fiber corrected for ash and protein, acid detergent fiber, and cellulose in relation to the other genotypes studied (P<0.05). The in vitro true digestibility of neutral detergent fiber was high for the genotypes N. cochenillifera Salm Dyck and N. cochenillifera Dyck, which also presented high in vitro total gas production (P<0.05). The cactus pear genotypes show adequate chemical characteristics to be composed part of diets offered to ruminants. However, supplementation is necessary to increase the dry matter and fiber contents. The Nopalea cochenillifera Salm Dyck genotype presented the highest proportions of total digestible nutrients, non-fibrous carbohydrates, non-protein nitrogen, unavailable nitrogen fraction total, and high gas production in relation to the other analyzed genotypes 24 months after field crop establishment. Keywords: Degradability; Digestibility; in vitro fermentation; Nopalea; Opuntia.

SUBSTITUIÇÃO DO FARELO DE SOJA POR URÉIA NA SUPLEMENTAÇÃO DE VACAS LEITEIRAS NO SERTÃO PERNAMBUCANO

The objective of this experiment was evaluate the effect of nitrogen nonproteic (NNP), that is urea and ammonia sulphate, replace to soybean meal in the supplementation of milk cows fed with differed buffel grass and cactus forage. The work was carried out at IPA - Experimental Station in Serra Talhada - PE. Eight cows were fed in a 7.5 ha area, four from the Guzera race and four from the 5/8 Holstein/Zebu. They were supplied with 38 kg of cactus forage (P) and soybean meal (FS), being replaced by urea + ammonia sulphate (U+SA). The experimental design was the Latin Square, and the treatments were P + FS (1.69 kg FS); P + 2/3FS + 1/3U (1.13 kg FS + 97 g U+SA); P + 1/3FS + 2/3U (0.56 kg FS + 195 g U+SA) e P+U (292 g U+SA). The 5/8 Holstein/Zebu cows were more productive than the Guzera, with the production of 7.08 and 7.31 against 4.67 and 5.34 kg/day, respectively, for milk and corrected milk for 4% of fat. There was no difference among the treatments or interaction race x treatment, so that the NNP could substitute soybean meal in the conditions of developed experiment

CACTÁCEAS NATIVAS ASSOCIADAS A FENOS DE FLOR DE SEDA E SABIÁ NA ALIMENTAÇÃO DE BORREGOS

The objective of this study was to evaluate the utilization effects of two native cacti named mandacaru (Cereus jamacaru DC.) and xiquexique [Pilosocereus gounellei (A. Weber ex K. Schum.) Bly ex Rowl.] associated with sabiá (Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth.) and flor de seda (Calotropis procera (Ait.) R.Br.) about the nutrient intake, daily weight gain, and feed conversion in sheep feedlot. Twenty Morada Nova male hair sheep with an average weight of 15.40, were allocated in a randomized block design, with four treatments and five replicates. The experimental treatments consisted of four diets (30% native cacti + 30% shrub hay + 40% concentrate, on dry matter basis): T1- xiquexique + sabiá hay; T2- xiquexique + flor de seda hay; T3- mandacaru + sabiá hay e T4- mandacaru + flor-de-seda hay. The concentrate consisted of 100.0% algaroba (Prosopis juliflora (Sw) DC) pods. No significant difference was observed for daily weight gain which averaged 88.77 g, and also for voluntary intakes of dry matter, organic matter, ether extract, total carbohydrates, nonfiber carbohydrates, total digestible nutrients and digestible energy in relation to g/day, %BW and g/kg0.75. Significant differences were observed for intake of water in g/day