Carcass characteristics of lambs fed diets with mulberry hay

Objetivou-se avaliar as características quantitativas in vivo, da carcaça e dos cortes comerciais de cordeiros alimentados com dietas contendo 0; 12,5 e 25,0% de feno de amoreira em substituição ao concentrado. Foram utilizados vinte e quatro cordeiros Ile de France, com aproximadamente 60 dias de idade e 15 kg de peso corporal, confinados em baias individuais e abatidos aos 32 kg. Houve efeito linear crescente (R2 = 0,84) para a profundidade do tórax, índice de musculosidade da perna (R2=0,71) e para a relação músculo:osso (R2=0,95); decrescente (R2 =0,75) para o índice de compacidade da carcaça, peso da paleta (R2 = 0,78) e peso (R2=0,99) e comprimento (R2=0,86) do fêmur à medida que se aumentou o feno de amoreira na dieta; e comportamento quadrático para perdas por resfriamento (R2=1,0) e porcentagem de gordura intermuscular. O feno de amoreira pode ser utilizado na alimentação de cordeiros confinados sem prejudicar as características quantitativas da carcaça

Reproductive performance of Ile de France ewes under dietary supplementation before and during the breeding season

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o desempenho reprodutivo de ovelhas Ile de France submetidas à suplementação alimentar antes e durante a estação de monta associado ou não a condições de manejo (tosquia pré-acasalamento). Foram utilizadas 36 ovelhas, com peso corporal médio de 66 kg. Os tratamentos envolveram ovelhas para receber ou não suplementação concentrada, sendo os grupos ainda subdivididos de acordo com a condição de manejo em que foram submetidos, tosquiados ou não. Assim, as ovelhas foram distribuídas em quatro tratamentos: suplementadas e tosquiadas; suplementadas e não tosquiadas; não suplementadas e tosquiadas e não suplementadas e não tosquiadas. A suplementação alimentar aumentou o ganho de peso e o escore corporal e quando associada à tosquia favoreceu a antecipação do estro. Os índices de fertilidade (86,05%), parição (77,77%) e natalidade (113,83%), assim como o tipo de parto (simples: 82,29% e duplo: 17,71%) não foram influenciados. O peso ao nascer (3,96 kg) e a prolificidade (1,25%) também não foram afetados. Embora não se tenha verificado alteração nas características reprodutivas, a suplementação alimentar na estação de monta associada à tosquia antecipou o estro das ovelhas.The aim of this study was to evaluate the reproductive performance of Ile de France ewes undergoing dietary supplementation before and during the breeding season, with and without association with management conditions (pre-mating shearing). Thirty-six ewes with an average body weight of 66 kg were used in the experiment. Treatments involved ewes receiving or not receiving concentrate supplementation (flushing), with groups subdivided according to the management condition to which animals were subjected: shearing or lack of it. Thus, ewes were divided into four treatments: flushed and shorn; flushed and unshorn; unflushed and shorn; and unflushed and unshorn. Flushing increased weight gain and body condition score, and when associated with shearing, it promoted anticipation of estrus. Fertility rate (86.05%), calving rate (77.77%), birth rate (113.83%), and type of birth (single: 82.29% and twin: 17.71%) were not influenced. Birth weight (3.96 kg) and prolificacy (1.25%) also were not affected. Despite the lack of changes in reproductive traits, flushing adopted during the breeding season associated with shearing anticipated estrus in ewes

Intake, microbial protein synthesis, and nitrogen balance in lambs fed diets containing mulberry hay

Objetivou-se com este trabalho avaliar o consumo, a síntese de proteína microbiana e o balanço de nitrogênio em cordeiros alimentados com rações contendo 0,00; 12,50 e 25,00% de feno de amoreira em substituição ao concentrado. Foram utilizados vinte e quatro cordeiros Ile de France, com aproximadamente 60 dias de idade e 15,48 ± 0,07 kg de peso corporal, confinados em baias individuais e abatidos ao atingirem 32 kg de peso corporal. Apenas a ingestão de extrato etéreo e energia metabolizável apresentaram redução linear (P<0,05) com a inclusão do feno de amoreira no concentrado. Houve aumento linear (P<0,05) do nitrogênio nas fezes expresso em g dia-1 e g kg0,75 dia-1, redução linear (P<0,05) das excreções (mmol dia-1) de alantoína, purinas totais e purinas microbianas absorvidas, produção microbiana (g dia-1) expressa em nitrogênio microbiano e proteína bruta microbiana, e eficiência microbiana expressa em g Nm kg-1 de MODR-1 e g Pm kg-1 de NDT à medida que aumentou feno de amoreira na ração. O feno de amoreira em substituição ao concentrado na ração de cordeiros confinados reduz a síntese de proteína microbiana.The objective of this study was to evaluate intake, microbial protein synthesis, and nitrogen balance in lambs fed diets containing 0.00, 12.50, and 25.00% mulberry hay substituting the concentrate. Twentyfour Ile de France lambs at approximately 60 days of age, with a body weight of 15.48 ± 0.07 kg, were confined in individual stalls and slaughtered upon reaching 32 kg body weight. Only the intakes of ether extract and metabolizable energy decreased linearly (P<0.05) as the participation of mulberry hay in the concentrate was increased. Nitrogen in the feces, expressed in g day–1 and g kg0.75 day–1, increased linearly (P<0.05), whereas excretions (mmol day–1) of allantoin, total purines, and absorbed microbial purines, microbial production (g day–1) expressed in microbial nitrogen and microbial crude protein, and microbial efficiency expressed in g MN kg–1 RDOM–1 and g MP kg–1 of TDN decreased linearly as the level of hay in the diet was increased. Mulberry hay substituting the concentrate in diets for feedlot lambs reduces the microbial protein synthesis

Digestibility and performance of lambs fed with diets containing mulberry hay

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the intake, the digestibility and the performance of lambs fed with diets containing 0; 12,5 and 25% of mulberry hay in substitution of the concentrate. It was used a total of 24 lambs Ile de France breed, non castrated, average age 60 days and and 15 kg of body weight, confined, distributed in a completely randomized design. Voluntary intake of nutrients was not altered (P>0.05) by different percentages of mulberry hay inclusion in the concentrate, except ether extract which decreased linear (P<0.01). The digestibility of nutrients, days on feeding, daily weight gain and the feed conversion, were also not affected (P>0.05). The partial substitution of the concentrate, based on soybean meal and corn grain, by mulberry hay up to 25% does not compromise the intake, the digestibility of nutrients and the performance of diet of feedlot lambs

Efeito da tosquia estratégica no comportamento ingestivo de ovelhas Ile de France em pastagem de capim vaquero (Cynodon dactylon cv Vaquero) durante a estação de monta

The experiment evaluated the effects of strategic shearing on feeding behavior in Ile de France ewes in Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) grazing during breeding season. A total of 20 ewes, female, Ile de France breed, 4 years old, 71.10 kg of body weight, in grazing, in a completely randomized design with two treatments and ten repetitions, in which the treatments were composed by shorn and non-shorn animals. The length of the breeding season was 90 days, where the evaluations occurred in the 86th, 87th and 88th day of the experimental period. The grazing time (6.50 hours), rumination (1.59 hours) and idle (3.97 hours) have not changed (P> 0.05) by strategic shearing of the animals, as well as the frequency and the time by frequency grazing (18.33 grazing and 21.49 min/grazing), rumination (10.71 ruminations and 8.83 min/rumination) and idle (18.83 idles and 12.66 min/idle). In the same way, the number of bits per minute (26.37 bits) and the total daily bits (19.116 bits) of the animals were not affected. Thus, the strategic shearing in Ile de France ewes in Bermudagrass grazing during the breeding season does not alter animal feeding behavior

Valor alimentício do sal forrageiro de gliricídia para ovinos

This experiment aimed to evaluate the effect of supplementation with Gliricidia fodder salt on intake, nutrient digestibility, and feeding behavior of lambs. Twenty-five Santa Inês crossbred male sheep at approximately 180 days of age, with an average live weight of 25 kg, were confined in individual 1-m2 stalls and distributed in a randomized complete design with five treatments and five replications. Treatments consisted of 0 (1,000 g/kg?1 NaCl), 930, 950, 970, and 990 g/kg?1 inclusion of Gliricidia hay (70, 50, 30, and 10 g/kg?1 NaCl in the formulation of the fodder salt, respectively). The animals were fed ground Tifton-85 (Cynodon spp.) hay, ground fodder salt and or mineral salt, and water ad libitum, at 07h00 and 17h00. Intakes of dry matter, mineral matter, organic matter, crude protein, ether extract, and neutral detergent fiber were influenced (P0.05) in nutrient digestibility due to supplementation. Rumination time and number of cuds ruminated per day decreased (P0,05) na digestibilidade dos nutrientes em função da suplementação. O tempo de ruminação e o número de bolos ruminados por dia reduziram (P<0,05), enquanto que as mastigações merícicas por bolo aumentaram (P<0,05). As eficiências de alimentação e ruminação (g MS e FDN hora- 1) foram incrementadas (P<0,01) pela suplementação, assim como a eficiência de ruminação (P<0,01), expressa em g de MS e FDN bolo-1. A suplementação com sal forrageiro de gliricidia aumenta o consumo de nutrientes e altera positivamente o comportamento ingestivo de cordeiros.

Chitosan and cottonseed processing method association on carcass traits and meat quality of feedlot lambs.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the association of cottonseed processing method with chitosan on carcass traits and meat quality of lambs finished in feedlot. Eighty lambs with an average body weight of 20.6 kg, with 04 months of age, were distributed in a completely randomized design, in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement. The factors were represented by two cottonseed processing method (whole or ground) and two levels of chitosan (0 and 136 mg/kg BW). The association of cottonseed processing method with chitosan in the lamb diet did not affect (P>0.05) carcasses traits. The pH, color, cooking losses, shear force, and proximate composition of meat were also not affected (P>0.05) by the processing method of cottonseed or its association with chitosan in the lamb diets. There was an increase in palmitoleic (c9-C16:1; P = 0.01) and conjugated linoleic (P = 0.02) fatty acids when ground cottonseed was associated with chitosan. Ground cottonseed associated with chitosan increases the concentration of unsaturated fatty acids in the meat of feedlot lambs