The use of alternative feedstuffs in animal diet, such as residues derived from the biodiesel production aims to increase productivity and reduce costs in animal production. Them aim of this study was to evaluate the substitution effect of 0, 22, 44 and 64% of soybean meal protein by Crambe cake (Crambe abyssinica Hochst) protein in lamb diet. In the in vivo experiment, 20 lambs were used and evaluated the apparent digestibility, nitrogen balance and voluntary DM intake. The replacement of the protein resulted in a linear decrease in apparent digestibility coefficient (ADC) of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), ether extract (EE), gross energy (GE), acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), cellulose (CEL) and the percentage of total digestible nutrients (TDN), which resulted in decreased daily DM intake. The blood level of urea, glucose, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were not affected. In vitro gas production technique (GP) evaluation of diets showed a significantly decrease (P<0.05) of the total gas and methane production without altering the true degradability of DM and OM and the partition factor (PF). Replacement of soybean meal protein by the Crambe cake protein decreased digestibility of the fiber fraction of the diet, the voluntary intake of DM and methane, without altering rumen fermentation. Crambe cake can be utilized as lamb's food, because, despite reduced intake, assure a large energy intake and similarity to soybean meal protein.Index terms: Co-product, digestibility, enteric methane, sheep, sustainability. RESUMOA utilização de alimentos alternativos na dieta animal, como os resíduos da produção de biodiesel, tem como finalidade aumentar a produtividade e reduzir os custos na produção animal. Com esse intuito, objetivou-se avaliar o efeito da substituição de 0, 22, 44 e 64% da proteína do farelo de soja pela proteína da torta de Crambe (Crambe abyssinica hochst) em dieta de cordeiros. No experimento in vivo, foram utilizados 20 cordeiros e avaliados a digestibilidade aparente, o balanço de nitrogênio e o consumo voluntário. A substituição da proteína resultou na diminuição linear do coeficiente de digestibilidade aparente (CDA) da matéria seca (MS), matéria orgânica (MO), extrato etéreo (EE), energia bruta (EB), fibra em detergente ácido (FDA), fibra em detergente neutro (FDN), celulose (CEL) e valor de nutrientes digestíveis totais (NDT), o que acarretou na diminuição do consumo diário da MS. Parâmetros sanguíneos de ureia, glicose, AST e ALT não foram afetados. No experimento in vitro, pela técnica semiautomática de produção de gás (PG), houve diminuição significativa (P<0,05) da produção total de gás e produção de metano, sem alterar a degradabilidade verdadeira da MS e MO e o fator de partição (FP). A substituição das proteínas na dieta de cordeiros acarretou diminuição da digestibilidade da fração fibrosa da dieta, do consumo voluntario da MS e de metano, sem alterar a fermentação ruminal. A torta de Crambe pode ser utilizada ...

Genetic breeding programs of beef cattle in Brazil are including new features, mainly related to reproductive efficiency. Thus, it is necessary to study the effectiveness of selection and quantify genetic gain for these traits in herds. This study estimated genetic and phenotypic parameters and genetic trends for reproductive traits used in breeding programs for Nelore beef cattle. The traits studied were the scrotal circumference (SC) at 365 and 450 days of age (SC365 and SC450), age at first calving (AFC) and gestation length, as a cow trait (GLcow) and a calf trait (GLcalf). The (co)variance components were obtained with the Restricted Maximum Likelihood Methodology in a single and double-trait analysis of the animal model. For scrotal circumference (SC365 and SC450), positive and favorable genetic gains were observed. For AFC, GLcow and GLcalf, the trends were favorable for selection, but without significant genetic gain. Selection for large SC may reduce AFC and improve female reproductive efficiency. The selection for reproductive traits (SC365, SC450, AFC and GL) may improve reproductive and productive efficiency of Nelore cattle, if used as a selection criterion.Index terms: Reproductive efficiency; genetic evaluation; precocity. RESUMOOs programas de avaliação genética de bovinos de corte, no Brasil, estão incluindo novas características, principalmente as ligadas à eficiência reprodutiva. Dessa forma, faz-se necessário estudar a efetividade da seleção e quantificar ganho genético para estas características nos rebanhos selecionados. Objetivou-se, neste estudo, estimar parâmetros genéticos e fenotípicos e tendências genéticas para características reprodutivas utilizadas em programas de avaliação genética de bovinos de corte da raça Nelore. As características estudadas foram o perímetro escrotal aos 365 e 450 dias de idade (PE365 e PE450), idade ao primeiro parto (IPP), período de gestação considerada como característica da vaca (PGvaca) e do bezerro (PGbez). Os componentes de (co) variância foram obtidos pelo Método de Máxima Verossimilhança Restrita em análises uni e bi-características, sob o modelo animal. Para o perímetro escrotal (PE365 e PE450), foi observado ganho genético positivo e favorável. Para IPP, PGvaca e PGbez as tendências foram no sentido favorável da seleção, porém sem ganho genético significativo. A seleção para maior perímetro escrotal pode reduzir a IPP e melhorar a eficiência reprodutiva das fêmeas. A seleção para características reprodutivas (PE365, PE450, IPP e PG) pode melhorar a eficiência reprodutiva e produtiva do rebanho, se forem usadas como critérios de seleção para bovinos da raça Nelore.Termos para indexação: Eficiência reprodutiva; avaliação genética; precocidade.

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The replacement of diet soybean meal protein with crambe cake protein (0%, 22%, 44% and 66%) was investigated to evaluate the effect on lamb performance and meat quality, as well as the extent to which erucic acid was incorporated into the meat. The inclusion of increasing levels of crambe cake resulted in poorer lamb performance, as demonstrated by a linear decrease in final liveweight and carcass weight. There was also an increase in plasma blood concentrations of aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase, indicating hepatic injury. Reduced ether extract concentration of meat was observed, leading to higher shear-force values and a linear decrease in meat luminosity. The fatty acid profile of meat was drastically modified, presenting a reduction in total saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acid concentrations, particularly in the concentration of α-linoleic acid. Additionally, the total monounsaturated fatty acid concentration in meat decreased, while the concentration of erucic acid increased from 0.11% of total fatty acids in Longissimus lumborum samples from lambs fed diets with no inclusion of crambe cake, to 3.70%, 5.82% and 8.04% of total fatty acids in those from lambs fed diets where 22%, 44% and 66%, respectively, of the soybean meal protein was replaced with crambe cake protein. Therefore, the concentration of erucic acid in fatty acid profile of meat was higher than concentration deemed safe for human consumption.