-The objective of this study was to evaluate the production practices and use of corn silage in dairy farms in Southern Brazil, and to evaluate their impact on the nutritional quality and occurrence of mycotoxins. The data were collected by application of questionnaires among the producers, and by analysis of silage samples. The variables were subjected to factorial analysis of data reduction through the principal components method, thus obtaining 84.12% of the variance associated with the location, corn hybrid, crop production management, and inoculant used, characterizing the farms into four distinct groups. In farms from Paraná, the silage production technologies were more associated with implantation and crop management processes, and investment in equipment related to ensilage/silo feed-out was less frequent. Farms of Rio Grande do Sul showed high adoption of outsourced services, self-propelled machines, bunker silos, double-sided plastic film, and inoculant to control aerobic deterioration, and the silages showed higher levels of propionic acid (7.95 g/kg DM), and lower concentrations of aflatoxins (7.7 ppb) and total mycotoxins (26.58 ppb). The farms evaluated in Southern Brazil have good production efficiency and corn silages with excellent quality, regardless of their production characteristics.

The study evaluated the effects of supplementing cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL) in the diet of lactating dairy cows on the intake, nutrient digestibility, milk yield and composition, and fatty acids composition of milk fat. Four Holstein cows (600±43 kg) were used in a 4 x 4 Latin square design with 21 days experimental periods. Experimental treatments consisted of CNSL inclusion in a total mixed ration (dry matter basis), as follows: 1) CNSL 0% (control, CON), 2) CNSL 0.012% (0.012), 3) CNSL 0.024% (0.024) and 4) CNSL 0.036% (0.036). Dry matter and nutrients intake, apparent digestibility of nutrients, fat corrected milk yield and milk composition were not affected (p > 0.05) by the inclusion of CNSL in the ration. CNSL linearly decreased the C6:0 concentration (p < 0.02), produced a quadratic response on C13:1n-5 concentration (p < 0.03) and a linear increase on C16:1n-7 concentration (p < 0.04). Results show that an intake of up to 7 g cow-1 day-1 (0.036%) of CNSL may alter the milk fatty acid composition but does not influence intake, nutrient digestibility and milk yield.

Foram avaliados, durante a terminação, os efeitos da heterozigose e do grupo genético nas medidas corporais de novilhos puros (Charolês - C e Nelore - N) e mestiços da segunda (G2) (3/4C1/4N e 3/4N1/4C), da terceira (G3) (5/8C3/8N e 5/8N3/8C) e da quarta (G4) (11/16C5/16N e 11/16N5/16C) geração de cruzamento rotativo. Os novilhos foram confinados durante 97 dias, sendo alimentados com a mesma dieta, contendo 12,32% de proteína bruta e 2,96Mcal de energia digestível kg-1 de matéria seca, com relação volumoso:concentrado de 52:48. Os mestiços apresentaram maiores alturas de cernelha e garupa que a média dos puros tanto no início como no final do confinamento em todas as gerações do cruzamento. No entanto, os animais da G3 tiveram menor taxa de crescimento de garupa que os puros, com heterose de -35,97%. A heterose para as alturas de cernelha e garupa acompanhou a flutuação do grau de heterozigose do cruzamento, porém com diferentes magnitudes. A heterose da G2 para a G3 teve aumento de 48,18; 18,32; 55,15 e 3,20% para as alturas de cernelha inicial e final e para a altura de garupa inicial e final, respectivamente. Dentro dos sistemas de acasalamento, os animais com predominância de Nelore apresentaram maiores alturas de cernelha e garupa que aqueles com maior predominância de Charolês. Os animais mestiços apresentaram maior perímetro torácico e comprimento inicial em todas as gerações, resultando em heteroses de 5,56; 7,73 e 5,91% e de 7,23; 8,98 e 8,99%, respectivamente, na G2, na G3 e na G4. Todas as medidas corporais foram correlacionadas significativamente com o peso, tanto no início como no fim do confinamento.

Our objective was to determine the effects of two strains of obligate heterofermentative bacteria, alone or in combination, on the fermentation profile, gas production kinetics, chemical composition, and aerobic stability of sugarcane silage. A plot of sugarcane was manually harvested, mechanically chopped and treated with: distilled water (5 mL kg–1; Control), Lentilactobacillus hilgardii CNCM I-4785 [3 × 105 colony-forming units (cfu) g–1; LH], Lentilactobacillus buchneri NCIMB 40788 (3 × 105 cfu g–1; LB), and LH+LB (1.5 × 105 cfu g–1 of each strain). Treated forages were packed into 1.96-L gas-tight silos (0.40 porosity) and stored at 25 ± 1.5°C for 70 days (4 replicates per treatment). All heterolactic inoculants were effective to increase acetic acid concentration and inhibit yeast metabolism, as treated silages had lower formation of ethanol, ethyl esters and gas during fermentation. Lower fungal development spared soluble carbohydrates, consequently resulting in silages with higher in vitro digestibility. Nevertheless, L. buchneri was the most effective strain to extend the aerobic stability of sugarcane silage (based on both temperature and pH rise). The use of L. buchneri alone or in combination with L. hilgardii, applied at 3 × 105 cfu g–1, is a feasible strategy to inhibit yeast metabolism and increase the nutritional quality of sugarcane silage.

This study evaluated the effects of the rehydration and ensiling of corn grain with two geometric mean diameters (GMD) of 0.55 and 1.83 mm obtained by the diameter of the sieved used on the fermentation characteristics and chemical composition of the silage. The experimental design was completely randomized with two treatments and six replications, as follows: rehydrated fine-corn grain silage (RFS) and rehydrated coarse-corn grain silage (RCS). Ground corn was rehydrated with water to achieve moisture levels close to 350 g kg-1. There was no effect on the dry matter recovery, though the recovery rate was high, with values greater than 97% in both silages. The particle size influenced the fiber content, with lower values in the RFS. The acetic and lactic acid concentrations were higher in the RFS, but the pH of the silages did not change. Oxygen exposure changed the pH of silages to 4.25 and 4.38 for RFS and RCS, respectively. After opening the silos, the silages showed high aerobic stability after 90 hours, which resulted in lower deterioration and lesser loss of quality. The geometric mean diameter of corn grain affects the silage fermentative profile and nutritional value.

To evaluate the substitution of soybean meal by crushed crambe as a source of protein, five crossbred steers rumen cannulated weighting 426 ± 25 kg BW were distributed in a 5 Â 5 Latin square design. The steers were allocated in different levels of crushed crambe groups (0, 25, 50, 100 and 150 g/kg in concentrate supplement). Dry matter intake (DMI), rumen fluid pH, nitrogen (N) urinary excretion, propionate and isovalerate ruminal concentrations increased linearly (p < .05) with the replacement of soybean meal by crushed crambe. Crude protein (CP) intake, butyrate and valerate concentrations, and N retention and balance (g/d) showed linear decreases by the inclusion of crushed crambe. There was a quadratic decrease (p < .05) for neutral detergent fibre (NDF) intake and valerate concentration. Total short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) increased quadratically (p < .05) with the inclusion of crushed crambe. The supplement and total DMI, digestibility of DM, CP and NDF, N-NH 3 , acetate, isobutyrate concentrations and intake, excretion faecal and total of N, microbial protein synthesis, urinary excretion and blood concentration of urea and creatinine were not affected (p > .05) by the crushed crambe inclusion in the diet. It is recommended that 100 g/kg of the crushed crambe inclusion replacing soybean meal supplements to grazing steers because improved supplement DMI and total SCFAs, reducing ruminal fermentation and nitrogen excretion, without affecting digestibility and microbial protein synthesis. HIGHLIGHTS DM intake and digestibility were not affected in steers fed crushed crambe. Urinary N excretion increased with crushed crambe replacing soybean meal.

Because of the high total digestible nutrient and dry matter (DM) digestibility contents , high moisture silage may be an alternative to maximize animal performance. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the chemical composition, ruminal degradability and aerobic stability of high moisture corn silage (pure corn grain silage and soybean-, sunflower-or urea-enriched silages). Plastic barrels with capacity of 200 kg were used as experimental silos, which remained closed for nine months. The experimental design was completely randomized with four replications. After opening the silos, the chemical-bromatological composition and the quality of silages were determined. The addition of soybean or sunflower increased the crude protein content (CP) in 48.2% on average, and the neutral detergent fiber content in 60%, but decreased the starch content when compared to pure high moisture corn silage. Moreover, additions decreased the effective DM and CP degradability. Addition of urea decreased by 30% DM losses and improved the chemical composition and aerobic stability of the silage. In general, additives improved the chemical composition without affecting the silage conservation quality.

ABSTRACT. The use of alternative sources of protein for ruminant can alter productivity and reduce costs in animal production. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance, apparent digestibility and quantitative characteristics of carcass components of ewes fed increasing levels (0, 50, 100 and 150 g kg -1 dry matter) of crambe crushed in the diets. Twenty-four culling ewes were distributed in a completely randomized design. All animals were kept in a shed, with individual stalls equipped with feeder, drinker and concrete floor covered with rice hulls. The animals received corn silage as roughage and diets were isoenergetic with 700 g kg -1of TDN. Animals were slaughtered when reached a body condition score of 3.5 points. The dry matter intake (948.53 g day -1) and average daily gain (0.15 kg day -1 ) were not influenced by the inclusion of crambe crushed in the diet. The crambe crushed increased ether extract digestibility and decreased crude protein intake and digestibility. There was no effect of the levels of crambe crushed on carcass characteristics and non-carcass components but rather a reduction in the cold carcass yield. Total replacement of soybean meal with crambe crushed in the diet for ewes did not alter performance, carcass and non-carcass characteristics.Keywords: byproduct; ether extract; oilseeds; Crambe abyssinica.Consumo, digestibilidade, desempenho e características de carcaça de ovelhas alimentadas com crambe em substituição à farelo de soja RESUMO. O uso de fontes proteicas alternativas para ruminantes pode alterar a produtividade e reduzir os custos na produção animal. O objetivo da pesquisa foi avaliar o desempenho, a digestibilidade aparente e as características quantitativas dos componentes de carcaça das ovelhas alimentadas com níveis crescentes (0, 50, 100 e 150 g kg -1de matéria seca) de torta de crambe nas dietas. Foram distribuídas 24 ovelhas em um delineamento inteiramente casualizado. Todos os animais foram mantidos em instalação, com baias individuais equipadas com cocho, bebedouro e chão de concreto coberto com cascas de arroz. Os animais receberam silagem de milho como forragem e as dietas foram isoenergéticas com 700 g kg ) não foram influenciados pela inclusão de torta de crambe na dieta. A torta de crambe aumentou a digestibilidade do extrato etéreo e diminuiu a ingestão e digestibilidade da proteína bruta. Não houve efeito da torta de crambe nas características da carcaça e nos componentes não carcaça, no entanto houve redução no rendimento da carcaça fria. A substituição total da farinha de soja e a torta de crambe na dieta para as ovelhas não alteraram as características de desempenho, carcaça e não carcaça.Palavras-chave: subproduto; extrato etéreo; oleaginosas; Crambe abyssinica.