The study evaluated the effects of supplementing cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL) in the diet of lactating dairy cows on the intake, nutrient digestibility, milk yield and composition, and fatty acids composition of milk fat. Four Holstein cows (600±43 kg) were used in a 4 x 4 Latin square design with 21 days experimental periods. Experimental treatments consisted of CNSL inclusion in a total mixed ration (dry matter basis), as follows: 1) CNSL 0% (control, CON), 2) CNSL 0.012% (0.012), 3) CNSL 0.024% (0.024) and 4) CNSL 0.036% (0.036). Dry matter and nutrients intake, apparent digestibility of nutrients, fat corrected milk yield and milk composition were not affected (p > 0.05) by the inclusion of CNSL in the ration. CNSL linearly decreased the C6:0 concentration (p < 0.02), produced a quadratic response on C13:1n-5 concentration (p < 0.03) and a linear increase on C16:1n-7 concentration (p < 0.04). Results show that an intake of up to 7 g cow-1 day-1 (0.036%) of CNSL may alter the milk fatty acid composition but does not influence intake, nutrient digestibility and milk yield.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the inclusion of sunflower cake replacing soybean meal in beef cattle diets on the in vitro digestibility of dry matter (IVDDM), organic matter (IVDOM), crude protein (IVDCP) and the ruminal fermentation kinetics and parameters. The experiment was analyzed according to a completely randomized design. The treatments consisted of four levels of sunflower cake, 0, 200, 400, 600 g kg-1, replacing soybean meal in the concentrate of beef cattle diets. The coefficients of IVDDM, IVDOM and IVDCP presented a quadratic effect with the addition of sunflower cake. The soluble fraction (fraction B) degradation rate and total gas production decreased linearly with the inclusion of sunflower cake. Values of pH in ruminal fluid were higher for levels 0, 200 and 600 g kg-1 sunflower cake. Sunflower cake can replace soybean meal by up to 280 g kg-1 in the concentrate of beef cattle diets, improving the in vitro digestibility of dry matter organic, matter and crude protein. Levels above 400 g kg-1 reduce ruminal digestion rate, digestibility and release of final fermentation products.

This study aimed to evaluate the chemical and minerals composition, fractions of carbohydrate and nitrogen compounds, kinetics of degradation and in vitro gas production of native cactus species of the brazilian Semiarid. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design, with five native cactus species and 4 replications per species were randomly selected. The native cactus species evaluated were: Cereus jamacaru DC., Melocactus bahiensis Br. Et Rose Werderm, Opuntia inamoene K. Schum, Pilosocereus gounellei (A. Weber ex K. Schum) Bly ex Rowl and Pilosocereus pachycladus Ritter, all in natura. The native cactus species showed differences for chemical and mineral compositions (P <0.05). The nitrogenous components, C. jamacaru cactaceae presented higher contents of fractions A (228.1 g/kg CP) and B3 (241.7 g/kg CP) and smaller fraction C (174.0 g/kg CP). For carbohydrate fraction C. jamacaru presented lower fractions A + B1 (412.2 g/kg TC) and C (38.2 g/kg TC) and high fraction B2 (549.7 g/kg TC) and low fraction C. The cactus C. jamacaru and M. bahiensis presented a high PD (856.6 and 837.9 g/kg DM, respectively). The parameters a and b and the effective degradability present diferences (P<0.05) in function of 2% and 5% passage rate. The in vitro true digestibility of dry matter was above 700 g/kg of DM for all species. Cactus have high levels of potentially digestible fractions of total carbohydrates, indicating their importance as food for ruminants in created in the semiarid, where Caatinga vegetation is a basal resource.

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.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of increasing levels of cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL) in ruminant diets on in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), gas production kinetics, ruminal fermentation parameters, ammoniacal nitrogen concentration (NH 3 -N), and pH of the artificial rumen contents. The experimental design was completely randomized in a factorial 5 x 4 + 1 design, with five concentrate levels (200, 400, 600, 800, and 1,000 g kg -1 DM) and four CNSL levels (0, 0.3, 0.6, and 1.2 g kg -1 DM), as well as a control diet comprising only whole-plant corn silage, totaling 21 treatments. The inclusion of concentrate linearly increased IVDMD, while CNSL levels showed a quadratic effect, with the maximum estimated at 0.5 g kg -1 of CNSL. The total gas production, the disappearance of the substrate, the fraction of slow degradation (fraction V F2 ), and the respective degradation rate (fraction µ 2 ) linearly increased with increasing levels of concentrate in the diet. Increasing concentrate levels resulted in a linear increase in the concentration of NH 3 -N and a reduction in the pH of the rumen liquid. Increasing CNSL levels decreased the concentration of NH 3 -N and increased the ruminal pH. The inclusion of 0.5 g CNSL kg -1 in the ruminant diets improved IVDMD, without altering the kinetic parameters of ruminal fermentation. The addition of CNSL to ruminant diets reduces ammoniacal nitrogen production and can avoid drastic reductions in ruminal pH, favoring better fermentation in the rumen. Key words: Ammonia. Anacardic acid. Cardanol. Cardol. Gas production. ResumoO objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o efeito do líquido de casca de castanha de caju (LCC) na dieta de ruminantes com níveis crescentes de concentrado sobre a digestibilidade in vitro da matéria seca (DIVMS), cinética de produção de gases e parâmetros ruminais, concentração de nitrogênio amoniacal (N-NH 3 ) e o pH do conteúdo do rúmen artificial. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado, em arranjo factorial 5x4+1, com cinco níveis de concentrado (200, 400, 600, 800 e 1000 g kg -1 MS) e quatro níveis de LCC (0, 0,3, 0,6 e 1,2 g kg -1 MS), e uma dieta controle, composta apenas por silagem de milho planta inteira, totalizando 21 tratamentos. A inclusão de concentrado aumentou linearmente a DIVMS, enquanto que os níveis LCC mostraram um efeito quadrático, com o máximo estimado de 0,5 g kg -1 de LCC. A produção total de gás, o desaparecimento do substrato, a fracção de degradação lenta (fracção V F2 ) e a respectiva taxa de degradação (fracção μ2) aumentaram de forma linear com aumento crescente dos níveis de concentrado na dieta. O aumento dos níveis de concentrado resultou em aumento linear na concentração de N-NH 3 e na redução no pH do líquido ruminal. O aumento da concentração LCC reduziu os níveis de N-NH 3 e aumentou o pH do rúmen. A inclusão de 0,5 g kg -1 de LCC na dieta dos ruminantes melhorou a DIVMS, sem alterar os parâmetros cinéticos de fermentação ruminal. A adição de LCC na dieta de ruminantes ...

This study aimed to evaluate the chemical composition, fractionation of nitrogen compounds and carbohydrates, digestibility parameters, gas production kinetics and ruminal fermentation of fruit seed cakes. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with three fruit seed cakes (treatments) and four replications. The cakes were made of seeds of custard apple (Annona squamosa), soursop (Annona muricata) and passion fruit (Passiflora edulis), which were collected in a biodiesel plant. The passion fruit seed cake presented the highest content of dry matter, neutral detergent fibre crude protein (NDFcp), acid detergent fibre (ADF), lignin and total carbohydrates (P<0.05). The custard apple seed cake presented high proportions of crude protein, condensed tannins and digestible energy (P<0.05). The soursop seed cake presented higher values for ether extract and total digestible nutrients (P<0.05). For potential degradability, the authors detected a difference between the custard apple, soursop and passion fruit seed cakes. The total volume of gases was higher for custard apple and soursop seed cakes. Custard apple seed cake presented higher proportions of in vitro degradation parameters (P<0.05). Thus this cake could provide greater nutrient levels when supplied in ruminant diets, followed by soursop seed cake and passion fruit seed cake. Keywords: alternative food, by-products, ruminant feeding, seed cake, semi-arid

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RESUMO:O cobre é um micromineral essencial para todos os organismos vivos. A sua importância biológica, funcional e estrutural está relacionada com as funções metabólicas de enzimas cupro-dependentes como a, citocromo-C-oxidase, lisil oxidase, superóxido dismutase, entre outras, as quais catalisam reações fisiológicas importantes relacionadas com a respiração, biosíntese de melanina, metabolismo da dopamina, homeostase do ferro e defesa antioxidante. Por estar envolvida no mecanismo de oxidação, a deficiência do cobre causa transtornos no metabolismo oxidativo, causando anemia, queda da resistência a infecções, distúrbios reprodutivos e transtornos nervosos. Por outro lado, o excesso de cobre pode causar necrose hepática e crise hemolítica. Por tais motivos, devem-se considerar as exigências deste mineral para cada animal, dependendo da etapa fisiológica e nível produtivo, uma vez que a carência ou excesso deste mineral pode gerar doenças, que representam perdas na produção e redução no bem-estar animal. O escopo desta revisão foi abordar os aspetos mais importantes do metabolismo do cobre, assim como as principais doenças associadas ao excesso ou carência deste mineral na dieta dos animais de produção. Palavras-chave: ceruloplasmina, ferro, micromineral, superóxido dismutaseCopper metabolism in animal nutrition: Review ABSTRACT: Copper is an essential trace element for all living organisms. Their biological, functional and structural importance is related to the metabolic functions of cupro-dependent enzymes such as, cytochrome C oxidase, lysyl oxidase, superoxide dismutase, among others, which catalyze important physiological reactions related to breathing biosynthesis melanin metabolism of dopamine, iron homeostasis and antioxidant defense. To be involved in the oxidation mechanism, deficiency of copper produces disorders in oxidative metabolism, causing anemia, reducing resistance to infection, reproductive disorders and nervous disorders. On the other hand, excess copper may cause hepatic necrosis and hemolytic crisis. For these reasons, we must consider the requirements of the mineral for each animal depending on the physiological stage and productive level, since this mineral deficiencies or excesses can cause diseases that represent production loss and the reduced welfare. The scope of this review was to address to the most important aspects of copper metabolism, as well as main diseases associated with excess or deficiency of this mineral in the diet of livestock.