The main objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of the energy levels in the diet of ewes in the last third of gestation and lactation on body measurements and weights of lambs from birth to weaning. As secondary objectives were also evaluated the effects of year of birth, sex of the lamb, type of birth and age of the ewe at lambing on the same characteristics. Forty-five Santa Inês lambs were evaluated. They were born from 40 ewes distributed randomly to three treatments: 2.0, 2.2 and 2.4 Mcal of metabolizable energy/kg of dry matter). Ewes were subjected to the experimental diets during the last third of gestation and lactation. Lambs were kept with their mothers until weaning, which occurred at 70 days. Feeding energy level did not affect traits measured on the lambs at birth. Regression analysis showed a linear increasing in all traits at weaning and in average daily gain until weaning as the energy level increased. Male lambs were heavier at birth and at weaning. All morphometric measurements performed were similar between males and females, except for thoracic perimeter at 70 days, which was higher in male lambs. Single lambs were larger and heavier than twin lambs. Lambs born from ewes of intermediate age (4 and 6 teeth) showed higher means for average daily weight gain. Among morphometric measurements, thoracic perimeter showed the best correlation to body weight at birth and at weaning. Besides the nutrition of the ewe, it is important to consider other environmental factors that affect animal's growth characteristics by acting on the expression of genetic potential.

-The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of feeding energy levels during the last third of gestation and lactation on performance of ewes and lambs up to weaning. The experiment was carried out in the sheep raising sector of Universidade Estadual de Londrina (UEL), from August to December of 2007. Thirty-two adult lambs with 105 days of gestation, average live weight of 57.55 kg and average body condition scores of 3.42 were used in the beginning of the experiment. The animals were confined in collective pens, distributed randomly in three treatments: 2.4; 2.2 and 2.0 Mcal of metabolizable energy (ME)/kg of dry matter (DM). Feed supply was ad libitum during the last third of gestation and lactation.Weaning occurred at 70 days. Body weight, body condition score and milk production of ewes and body weight of the lambs were analyzed. There were no significant differences for body weight and body condition of ewes at lambing; however, the level of 2.4 Mcal enabled better results for those characteristics at weaning and higher gain in weight and body condition scoring during the experiment. Severe energetic restriction (2.0 Mcal ME/kg DM) determined lower average daily milk production.Lambs from levels 2.4 and 2.2 presented similar weights in all measurements and were superior to those in level 2.0. Lambs from level 2.4 presented higher average weight gain from birth to weaning. The energetic restriction upon lambs at the end of gestation and during lactation limits the performance of ewes and lambs up to weaning.

RESUMOwere used in the experiment. The animals were confined for 56 days in collective pens in a slotted floor sheep barn. The animals were randomly distributed, according to the feeding frequency: once, twice and three times/day. The diet (16.7% of CP and 70.3% TDN) was the same for all groups. The average daily gain, ration consumption, feed conversion, ingestive behavior and carcass characteristics were not affected by feeding frequency. Except for leg width, the other body measurements performed on the carcass were not influenced by feeding frequency. Among non-carcass live weight components, only yield of full intestine and digestive tract content were affected, because they were smaller for animals that received one feeding daily. The increase on feeding frequencies when diets containing 16.7% CP and 70.3% TDN were offered does not affect performance, the ingestive behavior and characteristics of carcass of confined lambs. Therefore, only one feeding per day can be used.

As degradabilidades in situ da matéria seca (MS), matéria orgânica (MO), proteína bruta (PB), fibra em detergente ácido (FDA) e da fibra em detergente neutro (FDN) do caroço de algodão integral (CAI), farelo de soja (FS), grão de girassol (GG), torta de nabo forrageiro (TN) e do milho triturado (MT) foram determinadas com a incubação de sacos de náilon no rúmen de cinco bovinos ½ sangue Simental-Zebu. As degradabilidades efetivas (DE) da matéria seca (MS) e da proteína bruta (PB) a taxa de passagem de

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of increasing levels of chitosan (CHI) on sugarcane fermentation profile and losses, chemical composition, and in situ degradation. Treatments were: 0, 1, 2, 4, and 8 g of CHI/kg of dry matter (DM). Twenty experimental silos (PVC tubing with diameter 28 cm and height 25 cm) were used. Sand (2 kg) was placed at the bottom of each silo to evaluate effluent losses, and silos were weighed 60 d after ensiling to calculate gas losses. Samples were collected from the center of the silo mass to evaluate silage chemical composition, in situ degradation, fermentation profile, and mold and yeast count. Data were analyzed as a completely randomized design, and the treatment effect was decomposed using polynomial regression. Chitosan linearly increased acetic acid and NH3-N concentration, while yeast and mold count, and ethanol concentration decreased. Intermediary levels of CHI (from 4.47 to 6.34 g/kg DM) showed the lower values of effluent, gas, and total losses. There was a quadratic effect of CHI on the content of non-fiber carbohydrates, neutral and acid detergent, and in situ DM degradation. The lowest fiber content was observed with levels between 7.01 and 7.47 g/kg DM, whereas the highest non-fiber carbohydrate content and in situ DM degradation were found with 6.30 and 7.17 g/kg DM of CHI, respectively. Chitosan linearly increased acetic acid and NH3-N concentration, whereas it linearly reduced ethanol concentration and count of yeast and mold. Thus, intermediary levels of CHI, between 4.47 and 7.47 g/kg of DM, decrease fermentation losses and improve the nutritional value of sugarcane silage.