Suchergebnisse

<p>The objective of this study was to evaluate the growth performance of two crossbreed genetic groups, ½ Nelore ½ Angus and ¼ Nelore ¼ Angus ½ Guzera, which originate from the rotational crosses of Nellore cows with Angus bulls and ½ Nellore ½ Angus cows with Guzera bulls, respectively. The growth performance was evaluated at the end of the yearling and feedlot stages, and carcass characteristics were evaluated after the slaughter. A completely randomized trial design was used, with 12 cows in each group. The yearling stage lasted 270 days, and the cattle were fed with pasture of <em>Brachiaria brizantha </em>'Marandu' with 2.0 UA ha-1 and a forage allowance of 2.5 kg of dry matter (DM) per 100 kg of live weight (LW), during this stage the animals, with an average age of 365 ± 10 days, received protein and energy supplementation <em>ad libitum</em>. After the yearling stage, the cows were confined until they reached the age of 22–24 months and received 6.0 kg DM of sugar cane + urea and 4.0 kg DM of concentrate, with 150 g kg-1 of crude protein (CP), daily during 90 days. The daily average weight gain (DAWG) during the yearling stage was higher for the ½ Nelore ½ Angus group. The ¼ Nelore ¼ Angus ½ Guzera group reached higher slaughter weight because they had higher DAWG during the feedlot stage (1.022 vs. 728 g dia-1). No significant difference (P &gt; 0.05) was found between the groups when the hot carcass weights were compared. The ½ Nelore ½ Angus group reached a higher carcass weight percentage (53 vs. 50 %) and subcutaneous fat thickness (4.3 vs. 4.0 mm).</p>

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a redução da proteína bruta em rações sobre o balanço de nitrogênio, pH urinário e parâmetros sanguíneos de suínos na fase inicial. O peso médio inicial dos animais foi de 18,5 ± 0,73kg. Foram realizados dois experimentos de digestibilidade, sendo um em condições de ambiente de estresse (28,77?C) e outro conforto térmico (18,13?C). Em ambos os experimentos os animais foram distribuídos em um delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso com quatro níveis de proteína bruta (20,5; 19,4; 18,3 e 17,2%) e quatro repetições, totalizando 16 unidades experimentais em cada experimento, sendo cada uma representada por um animal, totalizando 32 animais. A metodologia utilizada foi a coleta total de fezes, e a urina coletada e filtrada diariamente. Para avaliar os parâmetros sanguíneos, as amostras foram obtidas mediante punção na veia jugular. Os parâmetros avaliados foram nitrogênio ingerido, excretado nas fezes e na urina, absorvido, retido, retido/absorvido, excreção total, utilização líquida de proteína, pH da urina, colesterol, triglicerídeos, glicose, uréia e creatinina no plasma sanguíneo. Conclui-se que a redução do nível de proteína da dieta, de 20,5 a 17,2%; é uma alternativa eficiente para reduzir a quantidade de nitrogênio excretado pelos suínos em condição de estresse térmico. Para condição de conforto térmico os suínos apresentaram maiores concentrações de creatinina e colesterol plasmático.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of including two types of crude glycerin (CG) in feed on plasma parameters, quantitative and qualitative carcass characteristics, and the fatty acid profile of the Longissimus dorsi pig muscle. Sixty-three commercial line pigs were used, with an average weight of 30.53 ± 1.59 to 59.55 ± 4.27 kg in the growing phase and 60.35 ± 2.25 to 89.91 ± 5.23 kg in the finishing phase. The pigs' diet included two sources of CG (vegetable and mixed) at four inclusion levels (3%, 6%, 9% and 12%). One CG was derived from soybean oil (VCG) and the other from 80% animal fat + 20% soybean oil (MCG). The control diet contained 0% glycerin. Blood samples were collected at the beginning, middle and final phases of the trial. In addition, at the end of the finishing phase, the animals were fasted for 12 h and then sacrificed to measure the quantitative and qualitative carcass characteristics and the fatty acid profile of the Longissimus dorsi. The results indicate that in both phases there was a quadratic effect on plasma triglycerides. There was no effect on carcass parameters. A quadratic behaviour for pH24 h was obtained, with the lowest value attained at 1.05% CG inclusion. There was an interaction between the type of glycerin and the inclusion level in the diets for polyunsaturated fatty acids. VCG and MCG can be used at up to 12% inclusion because they cause no negative effects on carcass characteristics and pig meat quality.

The study objective was to evaluate the performance and the quantitative and qualitative carcass traits of three different commercial pig lines. Seventy-two animals were included, 24 animals of each lineage, 36 females and 36 immunocastrated males, with an initial and final average weight of 26 ± 6.5 kg and 139.49 ± 4.05 kg, respectively. These animals were identified and distributed in randomised blocks in a 2 x 3 factorial analysis (two sexes and three lineages) with three replicates per treatment and four animals per experimental unit. The daily gain (kg), feed conversion (kg kg-1), daily feed intake (kg), carcass weight (kg), backfat thickness (mm), loin depth (mm), lean meat percentage (%) lean beef kilograms (kg), marbling, water loss by leaking (%), water loss by defrosting (%), water loss by cooking (%), shear force (kgf cm2 -1) and objective colour were measured. The results were submitted to analysis of variance and means (Tukey's test) of 5%. There was no interaction between factors, and evaluating the factors separately did not yield significant differences between the lineages for any of the evaluated parameters. For the gender factor, a difference was obtained only for loin depth during the growth phase, lean meat percentage and defrosting water loss. Overall, the evaluated commercial lines were similar and gender influenced some performance parameters.

This study was conducted to assess the effects of functional oil (FO) blend on performance, blood metabolites, organ biometry and intestinal morphometry in piglets. A total of 128 crossbreed piglets (Landrace × Large White, 64 uncastrated males and 64 females, 21 d of age, and 6.79 ± 1.76 kg BW) were allocated in a randomized complete block design with two dietary treatments: a FO-free (FOF) diet or a diet based on added FO (1,500 mg/kg of diet with castor oil plus cashew nutshell oil). Piglets fed FO showed higher (p ≤ 0.05) average daily feed intake, daily body weight gain and final body weight after 23 d of study. For the total period, piglets fed FO showed greater (p = 0.007) feed conversion ratio. On d 23, higher serum total protein (p = 0.026) and globulin (p = 0.050) concentration, lower liver (p = 0.042) and stomach (p = 0.074) weight, and greater (p = 0.082) villi height (VH) in duodenum were observed in piglets fed FO. Nonetheless, piglets fed FOF showed greater (p = 0.054) ileal VH, but greater (p = 0.004) crypt depth (CD) in jejunum. Piglets fed FO showed higher VH to CD ratio in jejunum (p = 0.068) and duodenum (p = 0.074) on d 23 and 37, respectively. Based on the results, FO blend improved the performance of weaned piglets; however, it negatively affected the feed conversion ratio in the total period. Moreover, FO blend promoted changes in total protein concentrations and improvements in digestive and absorptive capacity assessed through VH to CD ratio, with a significant reduction in organs.

This study was carried out to evaluate the inclusion of two rice co-products in pig feed during the starter phase in terms of the nutritional value and digestibility of the co-products, and the effect on plasma parameters, growth performance and economic viability. In Experiment I, a digestibility assay was performed using 30 barrows (14.4 ± 2.4 kg body weight), which were distributed in a completely randomised design. The co-products studied were broken rice (BR) and hominy rice 3/4 (HR) to replace the reference diet (300 g/kg). The estimated digestible energy (DE) and metabolisable energy (ME) were 3,476 and 3,360 kcal/kg for BR and 3,487 and 3,362 kcal/kg for HR, respectively. In Experiment II, 108 pigs (15.5 ± 1.0 to 30.1 ± 1.3 kg body weight) were used, distributed in a randomised block design with a factorial analysis scheme (2 × 4), using two types of rice and four inclusion levels (160, 320, 480, and 640 g/kg), with six replicates and two pigs per experimental unit. Additionally, a control diet was used with no inclusion of the co-product. The daily weight gain increased and the feed:gain (F:G) ratio decreased as HR content of feed increased. An effect of both types of rice on plasma glucose concentration was obtained, in which the pigs fed with BR showed the highest values. The cost of diet per kilogram of body weight gain increased as BR levels in the diet increased. It was observed that inclusion levels of 480 and 640 g/kg of BR differed from the control diet, showing the highest costs. HR and BR can be used in pig feed in the starter phase at up to 640 g/kg without impairing performance.

Two experiments were carried out to determine the nutritional value of a dehydrated cassava co-product (DCC) and its effects on the performance and blood variables of piglets fed with different levels of DCC. In experiment I, a digestibility assay was performed and 30 whole-male crossbred piglets with initial body weight of 18.00 ± 0.673 kg were housed individually in metabolism cages and distributed in a completely randomized experimental design with 5 treatments, 6 replicates and one animal per experimental unit. A reference diet was formulated to meet the category nutritional requirements and the different levels of DCC replacement (6, 12, 18 and 24%) were used to replace the reference diet and composed the treatments. In experiment II, 120 piglets (60 whole males and 60 females) were used, with initial body weight of 13.05 ± 1.59 kg, distributed in a randomized complete block design with 5 treatments, 6 replicates and 4 animals per experimental unit. Treatments consisted of five feeds with increasing inclusion levels (0, 3, 6, 9 and 12%) of the DCC. The feed based on corn and soybean meal were formulated to meet the recommended levels in starting piglets feeding. The data were submitted for statistical analysis and, when presenting significant difference, the averages were compared by the Dunnet's test at 10 % significance. In the digestibility assay, the values of DCC's digestive energy and metabolizable energy of 3,022 and 2,984 kcal kg -1 in natural matter, respectively, were found. There was no significant effect (p > 0.10) of inclusion levels of DCC on the final weight and daily gain of weight however we observed a quadratic effect (p < 0.10) of the DCC levels on daily feed intake and feed conversion. For the analysis of blood parameters, the results showed that there was no effect (p > 0.10) of DCC levels on glucose and blood urea in the different treatments. The use of the dehydrated cassava co-product can be an energetic alternative to piglets in starting phase and can be used up to 12 %.