Os vinte genótipos de sorgo estudados foram cultivados e ensilados aos 104 dias de idade, em estádio de grão pastoso, em silos de laboratório de "PVC", com 10 cm de diâmetro e 40 cm de comprimento. Os silos foram abertos aos 150 dias após a ensilagem. O delineamento adotado foi o inteiramente casualizado. No material estudado (verde e ensilado), foram determinados os valores de fibra em detergente neutro (FDN), fibra em detergente ácido (FDA), hemicelulose, celulose, lignina, cinzas totais, matéria seca (MS), proteína bruta (PB) e carboidratos solúveis em álcool, que apresentaram valores médios de 61,8; 34,2; 27,5; 29,5; 4,6; 3,8; 25,7; 7,7; e 8,5% no material original e de 55,9; 32,6; 23,3; 28,5; 3,9; 4,0; 27,5; 8,6; e 0,8% nas silagens, respectivamente. Os valores de hemicelulose e celulose diminuíram com a ensilagem, indicando que tais frações forneceram carboidratos adicionais para a fermentação. Os teores de carboidratos solúveis do material original foram altos para todos os genótipos, sendo intensamente consumidos no silo, garantindo bom padrão de fermentação. Nas silagens, os valores de pH foram, em média, 3,5 e os teores de nitrogênio amoniacal, inferiores a 8%, em todos os genótipos. As silagens estudadas apresentaram-se iguais para todas as características pesquisadas.

RESUMO Vinte e dois cordeiros machos não castrados, Dorper x Santa Inês, com aproximadamente 90 dias de idade e peso vivo médio inicial de 27,0±4,4kg, foram alimentados com uma dieta com elevada proporção de concentrado com

Efeito da dieta contendo caroço de algodão no desempenho, características quantitativas da carcaça e qualitativas da carne de novilhos Nelore confinados. The purpose of this work was to evaluate performance, quantitative characteristics of the carcass and qualitative characteristics of the meat of confined castrated Nelore males. Animals were confined with four diets containing 80% concentrate (dry matter): a control diet devoid of whole cottonseed (CA0), a diet containing 10%(CA10) or 20% of whole cottonseed (CA20) and a diet containing 20% of whole cottonseed heated in a climate chamber (CA20H). At the end of the experimental period, there were no differences between treatments for dry matter intake. However, the average daily gain, live weight and feed efficiency were greater for animals fed the whole cottonseed-enriched diets, whit no difference among diets when compared to control. Values documented for blood urea-N were significantly higher for treatments containing whole cottonseed, while glucose and total serum protein did not differ. Carcass yield, loin eye area, subcutaneous fat thickness, renal and pelvic fat, warm carcass weight and cold carcass weight, weight of the liver and values of carcass pH were not significantly different. Differences were noted only for carcass temperature 1 hour and 24 hours after slaughter, lower for CA0 treatment. There were no significant differences for dry matter content and ethereal meat extract. No differences were found between total cooking losses and meat tenderness between 7 and 14 days of maturing, as verified by shearing forces. Only time effect was noted, with meat matured for 14 days presenting with increased tenderness and less total cooking losses. Sensorial analysis of the Longissimus dorsi did not show differences among treatments for typical odor, juicyness and typical or off-flavour. No statistical difference was found for total saturated fatty acids and omega-3, or the relations between total unsaturated or monounsaturated and saturated fatty acids. However, animals fed whole cottonseed-enriched diets had higher concentrations of polyunsaturated fatty acids and omega-6 and lower concentrations of monounsaturated fatty acids in the Longissimus dorsi. Whole cottonseed can be

ABSTRACT. For this research 48 male lambs were divided in randomized blocks in a factorial design, having as factors sexual condition (castrated or uncastrated) and time on feed (36 or 78 days). High grain diet was monitored daily to measure the performance of the animal nutrition. The characteristics of the carcass and meat were taken for the fatty acids profile and sensorial analysis. The effect of the factors as sexual condition and time on feed, and the interaction between them, were evaluated by analysis of variance using the GLM procedure of SAS software and the treatment averages were compared by Student's T test. The uncastrated animals presented greater weight gain and dry matter intake, better feed efficiency, and larger loin area. More time on feed resulted in higher weight at slaughter. Parameters such as pH, color, meat tenderness and sensorial attributes were not affected by treatments. For the fatty acid profile there was effects and interactions between sexual condition and time on feed. It is concluded that castration should not be used when the animal is young and slaughtered and feed intensively, but neutering can be interesting to improve the fatty acid profile of the meat.Keywords: castrated, Dorper, fatty acids, meat, Santa Inês, sheep.Período de confinamento e efeito do sexo sobre o desempenho e características de qualidade da carne de cordeiros RESUMO. No experimento realizado, foram utilizados 48 cordeiros machos divididos em blocos casualizados, em esquema fatorial, sendo tais fatores: a condição sexual (castrado ou não castrado) e tempo de confinamento (36 ou 78 dias). Uma dieta rica em grãos foi ofertada e controlada diariamente para medir o desempenho da nutrição animal, as características da carcaça e da carne foram avaliadas, e foi feita análise sensorial. A condição sexual e o tempo em confinamento, bem como a interação entre eles, foram avaliados por análise de variância, utilizando o procedimento GLM do software SAS e as médias dos tratamentos foram comparadas pelo teste t de estudante (p < 0,05). Os animais não castrados apresentaram maior ganho de peso e consumo de matéria seca. Eles também tiveram uma melhor eficiência alimentar e área de lombo. Mais tempo no confinamento resultou em maior peso ao abate. Parâmetros como pH, cor, maciez da carne e atributos sensoriais não foram afetados pelos tratamentos. Para o perfil de ácidos graxos, houve efeitos e as interações entre condição sexual e tempo de confinamento. Concluiu-se que a castração não deve ser usada quando o animal é novo e criado em sistema intensivo, mas a castração pode ser interessante para melhorar o perfil de ácidos graxos da carne.

The objectives of this study were to evaluate and compare the effect of the corn grain processing (whole grain, dry beans ground, and wet grain) on carcass characteristics and meat quality in lambs. Twenty-two Dorper vs. Santa Inês uncastrated lambs (27 ± 4 kg BW; ±3 months old) were distributed in a randomized complete block (initial BW). The diets were composed of 20 % protein-mineral pellet, 5 % hay, and 75 % corn in the form of whole grain, ground grain, or wet grain. The harvest weight of animals fed whole corn (50.2 kg) and ground (49.03 kg) were equal and higher than the moisture corn fed lambs (44.89 kg); therefore, the same differences were expected to be seen in the cold vs hot carcass comparison. However, there was no difference between treatments comparing hot or cold carcass performance, averaging 47 and 46 %, respectively. Also unaffected by the treatments were subcutaneous fat thickness values, loin muscle area, pH, temperature, drip loss, water loss by cooking, color, and tenderness. It can be concluded that the shape and size of corn grain in diets of high concentrate resulted in no measurable influence on carcass traits, but whole grain is more easily managed by the producer.

Immunocastration (ImC) has been proposed as an animal welfare-friendly alternative to reduce sexual and aggressive behavior and to increase carcass fat deposition with positive effects on meat quality. The β-adrenergic agonists (β-AA) are known as repartitioning agents that acts increasing lean tissue deposition. The combined use of these technologies can positively affect meat quality and increase retail cuts yield. Thus, this research was conducted to evaluate the combined effects of ImC and β-AA (zilpaterol hydrochloride (ZH) and ractopamine hydrochloride (RH)) on retail cuts, bones, and fat trim of feedlot finished Bos indicus (Nellore) cattle. No interaction was observed between sexual condition and diet for any trait. The ImC decreased cold carcass, hindquarter (HQ), forequarter (FQ) and combined brisket, short ribs and flank (BSF) weights. The ImC also showed smaller weights of retail cuts and bones on the HQ and on the FQ than non-castrated (NoC). Fat trim weights did not differ from ImC and NoC. The most of subprimal cuts were heavier in NoC than in ImC. Feeding β-AA did not affect cold carcass weight; however, animals fed ZH had higher weights of HQ and retail cuts in HQ when compared with RH and control (CO) group, with no differences between RH and CO for both traits. The weights of FQ, BSF, retail cuts in FQ, as well as bones and fat trimmings were not affected by β-AA. In summary, ImC decreases carcass and retail cut weights, whereas ZH supplementation leads to an improvement in carcass lean tissue and retail cuts.

O objetivo do experimento foi avaliar a digestibilidade in vitro da matéria seca das silagens de 20 genótipos de sorgo, ensilados aos 104 dias de idade em silos de PVC, com 10cm de diâmetro e 40cm de comprimento. Os silos foram abertos 150 dias após a ensilagem para determinação dos teores e perdas de matéria seca (MS), e da digestibilidade in vitro da matéria seca (DIVMS). As diferenças foram verificadas pelo teste SNK e o delineamento experimental adotado foi o inteiramente ao acaso, com três repetições por tratamento. Os teores de MS das silagens variaram de 23,7% a 31,8%, e todas elas apresentaram pequenas perdas de MS. Não houve diferença entre as silagens dos vinte genótipos quanto aos teores de MS e perdas de MS, mas houve diferença na DIVMS. Os híbridos C 22 e CMSXS 756 apresentaram os maiores valores (62,8 e 63,0%) e os híbridos 547 e C 11 os menores valores (54,1 e 55,5%) de DIVMS, respectivamente.

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