The experiment was conducted to evaluate the ingestive behavior of lambs confined in individual and group stalls. We used thirty-four lambs in their growing phase, aged an average of three months, with mean initial live weight of 17.8±5.2 kg. They were allotted in a completely randomized design with 24 animals kept in individual stalls and 10 animals confined as a group. The experiment lasted for a total of 74 days, and the first 14 days were dedicated to the animals’ adaption to the management, facilities and diets. The data collection period lasted 60 days, divided into three 20-d periods for the behavior evaluation. The animals were subjected to five days of visual observation during the experiment period, by the quantification of 24 h a day, with evaluations on the 15th day of each period and an interim evaluation consisting of two consecutive days on the 30th and 31st day of the experiment. The animals confined as a group consumed less (p<0.05) fiber. However, the animals confined individually spent less (p<0.05) time on feeding, rumination and chewing activities and longer in idleness. Therefore, the lower capacity of lambs confined in groups to select their food negatively affects their feeding behavior.
The objective was to evaluate the fermentation parameters, chemical composition and fractionation of carbohydrates of sugarcane silages treated with urea and calcium oxide (CaO). Upon ensiling, the treatments applied to the sugarcane were: 1% urea; 0.5% urea + 0.5% CaO; and 1% CaO, in relation to a control silage, without additive. The chemical additives (urea and CaO) were added at ensiling, in an amount calculated based on the fresh matter (as is). A completely randomized design consisting of four treatments (silages) and nine replicates was adopted. The material was conditioned in PVC mini-silos for five months. At the end of the storage period, silos were weighed again and samples were collected to quantify the losses caused by fermentation, dry matter recovery, pH, and ammonia nitrogen (N-NH 3 ) of the silages and to evaluate the chemical composition and fractionation of carbohydrates. The silage with 1% CaO showed the highest recovery of dry matter, and in terms of carbohydrate fractionation, it showed the highest levels of soluble and potentially soluble carbohydrates. Addition of 1% CaO during ensiling reduces the fermentation losses of sugarcane silages. Key words: Chemical additives, dry matter recovery, ensiling ResumoObjetivou-se avaliar os parâmetros fermentativos, a composição química e o fracionamento de carboidratos das silagens de cana-de-açúcar tratadas com ureia e óxido de cálcio (CaO). Na ensilagem, os tratamentos aplicados à cana foram 1% de ureia; 0,5% de ureia + 0,5% de CaO; e 1% de CaO, em comparação a uma silagem controle, sem aditivo. Os aditivos químicos (ureia e CaO) foram adicionados no momento da ensilagem, em quantidade calculada com base na matéria natural. Utilizouse um delineamento inteiramente casualizado, composto de quatro tratamentos (silagens) e nove repetições. O material foi acondicionado em minissilos de PVC, durante cinco meses. Ao fim do período de armazenamento, foi feita uma nova pesagem e coletadas amostras, para quantificação das perdas decorrentes da fermentação, da recuperação de matéria seca, do pH e do nitrogênio amoniacal (N-NH 3 ) das silagens e para avaliação da composição química e do fracionamento de carboidratos. A silagem com 1% de CaO apresentou maior recuperação de matéria seca, e em relação ao fracionamento dos carboidratos apresentou maior teor de carboidratos solúveis e potencialmente solúveis. A adição de 1% de CaO durante a ensilagem reduz as perdas fermentativas de silagens da cana-de-açúcar. Palavras-chave: Aditivos químicos, ensilagem, recuperação de matéria seca
Intake, digestibility, nitrogen (N) balance, microbial protein synthesis, weight gain, yields of the main commercial cuts and carcass morphometric measurements were evaluated in lambs fed diets containing different levels of chitosan. Sixty Santa Inês crossbred sheep with an average body weight (BW) of 24 ± 2.2 kg were assigned to three treatments (diets containing 0, 136 or 272 mg chitosan/kg BW) in a completely randomized design. There was no effect of chitosan on dry matter (DM) intake. Ingested and retained N showed a quadratic response, with the highest values estimated at the chitosan levels of 142 and 152 mg/kg BW, respectively. Similar to N balance, microbial protein synthesis showed the same quadratic response, in which the level of 136 mg/kg BW resulted in higher synthesis when compared with the other levels. No effect of chitosan was detected on average daily gain, final weight, or carcass variables (hot carcass weight, cold carcass weight, yield of commercial cuts and morphometric measurements of the carcass). Conformation, visceral fat content and fatness of carcasses were also not altered by the use of chitosan. Chitosan improves the digestibility of DM, crude protein and neutral detergent fibre, and increases N balance and microbial protein synthesis but does not change the production performance of feedlot lambs.
Ingestive behavior of lambs fed diets consisting of fresh sugarcane with urea, bagasse treated with calcium oxide, and urea ammoniated sugarcane bagasse supplemented with concentrate mixture in 50:50 ratio were evaluated. For this, 34 wethers Santa Inês in their growing phase, with an average age of 3.0 ± 0.6 months and a mean initial live weight of 17.8± 5.2 kg were used. The animals were distributed in a completely randomized design and subjected to visual observation periods of 5 days, for 24 h a day, during the experimental period. Dry matter (DM) intake and intake efficiency of DM were higher (P < 0.05) for animals receiving fresh sugarcane with urea. The animals which were fed with bagasse treated with calcium oxide had higher (P < 0.05) consumption of neutral detergent fiber, longer feeding and chewing time (P < 0.05), and shorter (P < 0.05) idling time. The time spent on chewing the ruminal bolus did not differ from one diet to the other (P > 0.05). Grams of dry matter per ruminated bolus were similar among animals fed with fresh sugarcane and ammoniated bagasse (P > 0.05) but lower (P < 0.05) in animals fed with bagasse treated with calcium oxide. Rumination efficiency values, in grams of dry matter per hour, and grams of neutral detergent fiber per hour for all three diets were similar (P > 0.05) to those found for feeding efficiency. The number of feeding and rumination periods was not affected (P > 0.05) by diet. Based on the intake and ingestive behavior responses, the fresh sugarcane with urea compared to bagasse treated with calcium oxide and ammoniated bagasse was found to be the better alternative feed for use in lamb diets.
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