The purpose of this study was to assess the in vitro antimicrobial activity of alkaloid-enriched extracts from Prosopis juliflora (Fabaceae) pods in order to evaluate them as feed additives for ruminants. As only the basic chloroformic extract (BCE), whose main constituents were juliprosopine (juliflorine), prosoflorine and juliprosine, showed Gram-positive antibacterial activity against Micrococcus luteus (MIC = 25 μg/mL), Staphylococcus aureus (MIC = 50 μg/mL) and Streptococcus mutans (MIC = 50 μg/mL), its influence on ruminal digestion was evaluated using a semi-automated in vitro gas production technique, with monensin as the positive control. Results showed that BCE has decreased gas production as efficiently as monensin after 36 h of fermentation, revealing its positive influence on gas production during ruminal digestion. Since P. juliflora is a very affordable plant, this study points out this alkaloid enriched extract from the pods of Prosopis juliflora as a potential feed additive to decrease gas production during ruminal digestion.

Fracionamento de carboidratos e proteínas de gramíneas tropicais cortadas em três idades

ABSTRACT. The experiment was conducted to evaluate losses and nutritive value of elephant grass silage containing increasing levels of cottonseed meal. The experimental design was completely randomized, with five treatments: 0, 7, 14, 21 and 28% inclusion of cottonseed meal, and four replications. The material was chopped and packed in PVC silos and stored for 80 days. The pH and dry matter (DM), crude protein, lignin and ether extract of the silages increased linearly with the addition of cottonseed meal, while the levels of acid detergent insoluble nitrogen, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, cellulose and hemicellulose decreased linearly. The addition of 28% cottonseed meal reduced the in situ disappearance of DM (48h) to values lower than those of silage without additives. The concentration of ammonia nitrogen and the losses from gases and effluent were reduced. The inclusion of 28% cottonseed meal in elephant grass silage containing 18.4% DM improved the fermentation characteristics of silage more efficiently by reducing the moisture content and effluent losses, starting at the 7% level of inclusion.Keywords: by-product, effluent, ensiling, Gossypium hirsutum.Perdas e valor nutricional da silagem de capim-elefante com níveis de inclusão de torta de algodão RESUMO. O experimento foi conduzido com o objetivo de avaliar as perdas e o valor nutritivo da silagem de capim-elefante contendo níveis crescentes de torta de algodão. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o inteiramente casualizado, com cinco tratamentos: 0, 7, 14, 21 e 28% de inclusão de torta de algodão e quatro repetições. O material foi picado e acondicionado em silos de PVC e armazenado por 80 dias. O pH e os teores de matéria seca (MS), proteína bruta, lignina e extrato etéreo das silagens aumentaram linearmente com a adição da torta de algodão, enquanto os teores de nitrogênio insolúvel em detergente ácido, fibra em detergente neutro, fibra em detergente ácido, celulose e hemicelulose reduziram linearmente. A adição de 28% de torta de algodão reduziu o desaparecimento "in situ" da MS (em 48h) a valores inferiores à silagem não-aditivada. Foram reduzidos os teores de nitrogênio amoniacal, as perdas por gases e por efluente. A inclusão de 28% de torta de algodão na ensilagem do capim-elefante contendo 18,4% de MS melhorou as características fermentativas da silagem reduzindo de forma mais eficiente o teor de umidade e perdas por efluente a partir do nível de 7% de inclusão.Palavras-chave: co-produto, efluente, ensilagem, Gossypium hirsutum.

RESUMO -Objetivou-se avaliar o efeito de teores crescentes de PB na MS total da dieta (11,5; 13,0; 14,5 e 16,0%) sobre os consumos e a digestibilidade total dos nutrientes e a produção e composição do leite de vacas leiteiras no terço inicial da lactação. O experimento foi constituído de quatro períodos experimentais de 15 dias, sete para adaptação dos animais à dieta e oito para coleta de dados. Foram utilizadas oito vacas, manejadas em cochos individuais, distribuídas em dois quadrados latinos balanceados 4 × 4. Utilizou-se concentrado à base de farelo de algodão e fubá de milho (40%) e, como volumoso, cana-de-açúcar corrigida com 1% de uréia + sulfato de amônio (9:1), na proporção de 60% (% MS). Os consumos médios diários de nutrientes, exceto EE e CNF, diferiram à medida que os teores de PB da dieta aumentaram. Os teores de PB na dieta não afetaram os coeficientes de digestibilidade aparente total dos nutrientes. A produção de leite corrigida ou não para 3,5% de gordura e seus componentes (gordura, PB e lactose), expressa em g/dia, e o nitrogênio uréico no leite (NUL) tiveram efeito linear crescente, enquanto a eficiência de utilização de N sofreu efeito linear negativo dos teores de PB da dieta. A dieta com 16% PB resultou em valores numericamente maiores de consumo e produção do leite e de seus componentes se comparada às dietas com menores teores de PB.Palavras-chave: farelo de algodão, proteína não-degradável no rúmen, terço inicial da lactação Intake and total digestibility of nutrients and milk production and composition in dairy cows fed with increasing crude protein levels in the diet with sugar cane and concentrates ABSTRACT -The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of increasing levels of CP in the total DM of diet (11.5, 13.0, 14.5 and 16.0%) on the intakes and the total digestibility of nutrients and the milk production and composition of dairy cows in initial third of lactation. The research was constituted by four experimental periods of 15 days each, seven for adaptation of the animals to the diet and eight for data collection. Eight cows, individually fed, were distributed to two balanced 4 × 4 Latin squares. A cottonseed meal, ground corn-based concentrate (40%) was used and, as forage, sugar cane corrected with 1% of urea + ammonium sulfate (9:1), in the proportion of 60% (%DM). The daily average intakes of nutrients, except for EE and NFC, differed as the levels of CP increased in the diet. The protein levels in the diet did not affected the coefficients of total apparent digestibility of the nutrients. Production of fat corrected milk, 3.5% or not and its components (fat, CP and lactose), expressed in g/day, and milk urea nitrogen showed increased linear effect, while the N efficiency showed negative linear effect of the CP levels in the diet. The diet with 16% CP provided values numerically greater for intake and milk production and its components as compared to diets with lower levels of CP.

RESUMO. O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar os parâmetros da cinética de degradação ruminal da Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu, cortadas aos 28, 35 e 54 dias, pela técnica in vitro de produção de gases. Foram realizadas determinações dos teores de matéria seca (MS), matéria orgânica (MO), proteína bruta (PB), extrato etéreo (EE), fibra em detergente neutro corrigida para cinzas e proteína (FDN CP) , fibra em detergente ácido (FDA), nitrogênio insolúvel em detergente neutro (NIDN), nitrogênio insolúvel em detergente ácido (NIDA), lignina (LIG), Carboidratos totais (CT), carboidratos não fibrosos (CNF), fração B2 e fração C, respectivamente. Os dados da produção de gases foram ajustados ao modelo logístico bicompartimental. O delineamento utilizado foi inteiramente casualizado. Os dados foram submetidos à análise de variância e regressão, ao nível de 5% de probabilidade. Houve efeito (p < 0,05) para as variáveis MS, FDN CP , FDA, NIDN, NIDA, CT, B2, com aumento linear à medida que avançou a idade de corte. Para a produção de gases a fração A foi semelhante entre as idades de 28 e 35 dias, com 95,75 e 116,8 mL 1g -1 de MS, respectivamente. A idade recomendada para obtenção do melhor valor nutricional do Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu foi aos 28 dias. Palavra-chave: Brachiaria brizantha, taxa de degradação, produção de gás. ABSTRACT. In vitro ruminal fermentation kinetics of Marandu grass at different harvest ages.The objective of the work was to evaluate ruminal fermentation kinetics parameters of Brachiaria brizantha, harvested at 28, 35 and 54 days, using the semiautomatic in vitro gas production technique. Analyses were carried out for dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), neutral detergent fiber corrected for ash and protein (NDF AP ), acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent insoluble nitrogen (NDIN), acid detergent insoluble nitrogen (ADIN), lignin (LIG), total carbohydrates (TC), non-fiber carbohydrates (NFC), fraction B2 and the fraction C, respectively. The data of gas production were adjusted to the bicompartmental logistic model. The design used was completely randomized. The data were submitted to analysis of variance and regression, at the level of 5% probability. There was a significant effect (p <0.05), for the variables DM, NDF AP , ADF, NDIN, ADIN, TC, B2, with linear increase as harvest age advanced. For gas production, fraction A was similar between the ages of 28 and 35 days, with 95.75 and 116.8 mL g -1 of DM, respectively. The recommended age to obtain the best nutritional value of Brachiaria brizantha was 28 days.

-The objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritional and productive characteristics of primiparous lactating cows grazing on tropical pasture, using different levels of crude glycerin in the supplement. The experiment was conducted at Rancho Santana farm, located in Jequié city, Bahia, Brazil, in the period from December 21, 2010 to March 16, 2011. Ten ¾ Holstein × ¼ Dairy Gyr lactating primiparous cows, with 109±24 days of lactation and a mean age of 30±6 months and mean body weight of 426.2±68.29 kg were distributed into five treatments, using two simultaneous 5 × 5 latin squares. Treatments consisted of inclusion levels (0, 94, 191, 289, 389 g/kg dry matter basis) of crude glycerin in the supplement. Intake, digestibility, milk production and composition were measured. Results were statistically analyzed by analysis of variance and regression at 0.05 probability. For all consumption variables no significant differences were found between the levels of crude glycerin. Except for the digestibility of ether extract, all digestibility values were similar between treatments. The fat content and yield showed quadratic effect between treatments. No significant differences were observed for protein, lactose, total solids, nonfat dry extract, fat:protein ratio, milk urea nitrogen and somatic cell count between treatments. For primiparous lactating cows grazing on tropical pasture, up to 389 g of crude glycerin/kg of dietary supplement can be included without nutritional and productive interference.

Avaliação da Brachiaria brizantha cv. marandu em sistemas silvipastoris

No abstract