Meat from very young, milk-fed, small ruminants is an appreciated product in Mediterranean countries where milk is the main product derived from the herds. Nevertheless, many aspects of the quality of the products are virtually unknown for many goat breeds, especially among those that are reared for their meat. In this study, the quality from 50 animals from 5 local goat breeds (one dairy purpose and 4 meat purpose) and 19 lambs (from Churra, a dairy breed) was compared at commercial cold carcass weights of 4.4-6.6 kg. Carcass quality, ultimate pH and meat colour were assessed following standard procedures. Statistical differences (p < 0.05) were found in all of the variables analysed. Some of these differences might have been due to the influence of the genotype, the dam's production potential, or differences in carcass weight and age, but most were species dependent. Lambs differed from the kids, especially from those of meat purpose breeds, due to their high proportion of bone (25.0 vs. 21.3 to 23.7%), and a more intense meat colour (higher hue: 29.2 vs. 23.4 to 28.7, and chroma: 14.6 vs. 12.1 to 14.6). Among the goat breeds, Murciano Granadina (dairy breed) and Blanca Celtibérica (meat breed) were the most different in terms of carcass morphology, fatness, and meat colour. The other three local meat-purpose goat breeds (Moncaína, Negra Serrana, and Pirenaica) differed little. To obtain a better understanding of goat species, the differences among breeds, in kids or in their most common products, require further studies.

This study evaluated the effect of feed restriction and goat genotype on meat quality. Three genotypes (Brazilian native breed Canindé; Brazilian native breed Moxotó; and F1 Boer crossbred animals obtained by crossing Boer bucks with local breed does) and three different feeding regimens (ad libitum fed, AL; restricted fed at 75% of the ad libitum, R.75; or restricted fed at 50% of the average ad libitum intake, R.50) were used. There was no difference (P>0.05) in chemical composition, total and soluble collagen, and shear force of the Longissimus lumborum muscle among genotypes. However, AL had greater amounts of soluble collagen and crude protein in the muscle (P<0.05) than R.75. No difference (P>0.05) was observed for the myofibrillar fragmentation index. The goat genotype presented few differences in their fatty acid profiles. However, goats fed ad libitum had a more favorable fatty acid profile for human health with greater concentrations of oleic acid, unsaturated fatty acids, and conjugated linoleic acid.

RESUMO -Objetivou-se avaliar correlações entre características estruturais e valor nutritivo do pasto diferido de U. decumbens cv. Basilisk. O experimento foi realizado em esquema de parcelas subdivididas, segundo o delineamento em blocos casualizados, com duas repetições. Os tratamentos foram combinações dos períodos de diferimento da pastagem (73, 103, 131 e 163 dias) com os períodos de pastejo (1, 29, 57 e 85 dias). A massa de lâmina foliar verde correlacionou-se positivamente com os percentuais de proteína bruta (PB), fibra em detergente neutro potencialmente digestível (FDNpoD) e matéria seca potencialmente digestível (MSpoD), mas negativamente com os teores de fibra em detergente neutro (FDN) e FDN indigestível.

RESUMO -Objetivou-se comparar o consumo, o desempenho, a eficiência alimentar e as características de carcaça de bovinos de três grupos genéticos (GG) alimentados com dois níveis de concentrado. Foram utilizados 48 bovinos castrados, sendo 16 Nelore (NE), 16 Nelore-Angus (NA) e 16 Nelore-Simental (NS). Doze animais (quatro de cada GG) foram abatidos como referência e para os 36 animais remanescentes, a mistura de concentrado da ração foi oferecida em 1 e 2% com base no peso corporal, perfazendo um fatorial 3 × 2, em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com seis repetições. O valor de significância foi definido em 0,05. As dietas isoproteicas foram compostas de silagem de milho e concentrado. O experimento foi composto de três períodos de 28 dias cada e todos animais abatidos ao final. O consumo de matéria seca (CMS) e demais nutrientes, exceto fibra em detergente neutro, foi maior nas dietas com alto nível de concentrado. O consumo de matéria seca dos animais mestiços foi maior que dos nelores, porém os Nelore-Angus apresentaram consumo maior quando comparado ao dos Nelore-Simental. Não foram observadas diferenças no desempenho dos animais entre os níveis de concentrado. Igualmente, os ganhos de carcaça e de corpo vazio foram maiores quando 2% de concentrado do peso corporal foi oferecido. O desempenho dos animais mestiços foi superior ao dos nelores, embora diferenças não tenham sido identificadas entre os mestiços. Não foram encontradas diferenças no índice bionutricional dos animais entre os dois níveis de concentrado, em eficiência alimentar para carcaça e ganho de peso do corpo vazio. Animais que consomem mistura de concentrado no nível de 2% do peso corporal apresentam maior consumo e desempenho se comparados àqueles que recebem o nível 1%, porém não ocorre diferença na eficiência alimentar. Nelore-Simental é mais eficiente que Nelore-Angus, mas ambos os grupos genéticos de mestiços são mais eficientes que o Nelore.Palavras-chave: Angus, consumo, desempenho, índice bionutricional, Nelore, Simental Feed efficiency of pure and crossbred cattles fed high or low concentrate levelABSTRACT -In the present work we aimed to compare intake, performance, feed efficiency and carcass traits of cattle from three genetic groups (GG) fed two concentrate levels in the diet. Forty-eight steers (16 Nellore, 16 Nellore-Red Angus and 16 Nellore-Simmental) were used. Twelve steers were slaughtered at the beginning of experiment as a reference group and for the remaining 36 animals, the concentrate mixture of the ration was offered as 1 and 2% of body weight basis in a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design, with six repetitions. The value of significance defined was 0.05. Isoprotein diets were composed of corn silage and concentrate. The trial was comprised of 3 periods of 28 days each and all animals slaughtered at the end. The dry matter and nutrients intake was higher in diets with high concentrate level of steers, except for neutral detergent fiber. The dry matter intake of crossbred steers was hig...

Wooden breast (WB), white striping (WS) and spaghetti meat (SM) are breast myopathies of the Pectoralis major that greatly affect meat quality in broilers. To differentiate color and texture characteristics with instrumental methods, some of them applied for the first time in this species, 300 carcasses were randomly chosen from an abattoir from five different flocks from the same farm, at a rate of 60 carcasses from each flock. Twenty-four hours after slaughter, both side breasts were dissected, and yields calculated. Color was measured on the surface of the breast with a spectrocolorimeter and reflectance values obtained. Texture was measured on raw meat with a modified compression test that hinders the fiber from expanding transversally and a texture profile analysis (TPA) and also on cooked meat with a Warner–Bratzler shear and a TPA. Color differs between severity degrees, increasing redness (from −1.77 to −1.32 in WB) and, especially, yellowness (from 5.00 to 6.73 in WS) and chroma (from 5.75 to 7.22 in SM) with the severity of the myopathy. The subtraction R630 minus R580 was found to be a useful index to differentiate breast myopathies degrees. The modified compression test can be considered an effective tool to assess the hardness of different structures in each myopathy. Texture differences in the myopathies are better assessed in raw than in cooked meat.

This study evaluated the nutritional interrelationship between the growing and finishing phases of crossbred cattle in determining their performance. One hundred and eight animals were used (8 months old, body weight [BW] 211 ± 20 kg). During the dry season, the animals received one of the following supplements: a mineral plus urea supplement (ad libitum, MSD), a protein supplement (1 g/kg BW per day, PR1), or a protein-energy supplement (5 g/kg BW per day, PE). During the rainy season, the animals received one of the following supplements: a mineral without urea supplement (ad libitum, MSR), a protein supplement (1 g/kg BW per day, PR2), or PE (5 g/kg BW per day). The experimental design was completely randomized using a 3 × 3 factorial scheme (for the rainy season) and a 3 × 3 × 2 factorial scheme (for the finishing phase). The supplementation and finishing systems were considered to be the treatments, and the animals were considered to be the experimental units. Dry season supplementation did not affect the average daily gain (ADG) during the rainy season (P = 0.12) or the finishing phase (P = 0.73). An increase in the level of rainy season supplementation reduced ADG by 12% during the finishing phase (P < 0.06). Providing PE during the dry and rainy seasons led to the animals being slaughtered 17 (P = 0.06) and 30 (P < 0.01) days earlier, respectively. Our results indicate that supplementation during the dry season (under poor-quality pasture conditions) does not affect the performance during the rainy season or the finishing phase. Furthermore, while providing PE during the rainy season can reduce ADG during finishing, the higher BW at the beginning of the finishing phase is sufficient to reduce the time of the finishing period.

O experimento foi conduzido com os objetivos de avaliar a altura do dossel com 95% de interceptação luminosa e quantificar a influência da adubação nitrogenada e da densidade de plantas nas características morfogênicas e estruturais de capim-tanzânia. Quatro doses de nitrogênio, N (0, 80, 160 e 320 kg.ha-1), foram combinadas com três densidades de plantas (9, 25 e 49 plantas.m-2), em um arranjo fatorial 4 × 3, em delineamento inteiramente casualizado com três repetições, para avaliação da produção de biomassa, e duas repetições, para avaliação das características morfogênicas e estruturais. O acúmulo de MS total durante o período experimental foi influenciado pela adubação nitrogenada e pela densidade de plantas. No período das águas, as maiores doses de nitrogênio diminuíram o intervalo de colheitas e, consequentemente, aumentaram o número de colheitas. A altura do dossel de capim-tanzânia com 95% de IL foi positivamente influenciada pela densidade de plantas nos períodos das águas e de transição água-seca e seca. A altura do capim-tanzânia com 95% de IL apresentou variações ao longo das avaliações, de modo que os valores foram maiores (próximos a 70 cm) no período das águas, seguido pelos períodos de transição água-seca e seca.

This study evaluated the effect of increasing levels of monensin sodium (MON) in diets with virginiamycin (VM) on the finishing of feedlot cattle. Two hundred and eighty intact male Nellore cattle (348 ± 32 kg body weight, 22 months) received one of the following five diets: control diet (without additives); diet containing VM (25 mg per kg dry matter) combined with 0 (MON0), 10 (MON10), 20 (MON20) or 30 (MON30) mg MON per kg dry matter. During adaptation (28 days), the MON0 diet increased dietary net energy for maintenance and gain compared to the control diet (P = 0.04). The combination of additives linearly reduced dry matter intake, body weight and average daily gain (P < 0.01). Considering the total study period (110 days), there was a trend of greater net energy intake for maintenance (P = 0.09) and hot carcass weight (P = 0.06) for animals fed MON0 compared to the control diet. The combination of additives linearly reduced dry matter intake (P = 0.04) and linearly increased gain : feed and dietary net energy for maintenance and gain (P < 0.01). The combination of VM with MON at a dose of 30 mg/kg dry matter is recommended for Nellore feedlot cattle because it improves the efficiency of energy utilization.