-The objectives of this study were to evaluate the environmental effects (age of dam at lambing, type of birth and sex of lamb) and genetic groups (Santa Inês and ½ Santa Inês) on weight and morphometric measurements (heart girth, body length and height) of lambs; to test linear and allometric regressions to predict the weight through the measurements; and to describe the type of growth of the measurements from weight. Weight and morphometric measurements were sampled from birth to 154 days of age, at every 14 days. For the evaluation of the environmental factors and to predict the regressions the data of birth, weaning and 154 days of age were used; and to determine the type of growth all the data collected were used. The lambs derived from younger (two-tooth) ewes recorded lower averages than the ones from eighttooth ewes for weight, heart girth and body length at birth and length at weaning. The animals born from single births presented higher average weight from birth to weaning, as well as of all the measurements from birth to 154 days of age than those from twin births. There was no difference between the genetic groups Santa Inês and ½ Santa Inês. The correlations between the weight and measurements were significant, and it was possible to predict the weight from the morphometric measurements through regressions. The type of weight gain with heart girth was isometric, while with length it was positive allometric, and with height it was negative allometric. Thereby, in the absence of a scale it is possible to predict the weight from the morphometric measurements, and the type of birth is the most important factor that affects the development of lambs from birth to weaning.

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.

Objetivou-se avaliar os efeitos ambientais (idade da mãe ao parto, tipo de nascimento, sexo do cordeiro e ano de nascimento) e os grupos genéticos sobre o peso e medidas morfométricas de cordeiros, ao nascimento e ao desmame; testar regressões para predizer peso por meio das medidas e descrever o tipo de crescimento das medidas. Os filhos de ovelhas mais jovens (dois dentes) apresentaram médias menores para todas as características, exceto altura ao desmame. As médias de peso ao nascimento variaram de 3,34 ± 0,14kg nos filhos de ovelhas de dois dentes a 3,94 ± 0,09kg nos filhos de ovelhas de oito dentes, e as de peso ao desmame variaram de 12,19 ± 0,72kg nos filhos de ovelhas de dois dentes a 14,79 ± 0,62 nos filhos de ovelhas de seis dentes. Os cordeiros nascidos de partos simples apresentaram maiores médias que os gêmeos. As médias de peso ao nascer foram de 3,24 ± 0,11kg a 4,08 ± 0,06kg e para peso ao desmame foram de 11,18 ± 0,59kg a 15,81 ± 0,35kg, as médias menores foram dos cordeiros gêmeos e as maiores dos cordeiros simples. O grupo genético influenciou o peso, o comprimento e a altura ao nascimento, os Santa Inês puros apresentaram médias maiores que os ½ Santa Inês. O ano de nascimento influenciou todas as características. Todas as correlações entre pesos e medidas foram significativas, e assim foi possível prever o peso em função das medidas.

RESUMO.Durante muitos anos a comercialização da carne ovina foi desorganizada, com abate de animais de baixa qualidade. Isto criou uma imagem desfavorável ao produto. À medida que este cenário muda, a carne ovina recebe mais destaque, principalmente, a de cordeiros que atende a nichos de mercado nos grandes centros urbanos. Objetivou-se com este trabalho mensurar o consumo e aceitabilidade da carne ovina na região de LondrinaParaná, de acordo com o gênero, idade, nível de escolaridade e renda familiar das pessoas entrevistadas, assim como avaliar os parâmetros sensoriais da carne ovina segundo consumidores sem a informação da espécie animal, visando indicar ações norteadoras para a cadeia produtiva de ovinos de corte. Foram entrevistados um total de 951 habitantes e realizado um estudo de consumidores com 134 habitantes, ambos de Londrina e região, durante a Exposição Agropecuária e Industrial de Londrina, no ano de 2014. Os principais motivos de não consumir a carne é a falta de costume 44,1% seguido do fato de não gostar 39,8%. O motivo pelo qual não gostam da carne é o cheiro forte do animal 44,8% seguido pelo sabor adocicado 20,2%. Quanto à aceitabilidade da amostra, 47,01% dos consumidores marcaram a carne como gosto muito, seguido por 26,87% que marcaram como gosto extremamente, apenas 2,25% dos consumidores marcaram a carne como desagradável. Observa-se que a grande barreira para aumentar o consumo da carne ovina é a falta de costume e experiências ruins que levam ao não consumo. Palavras chave: abate, cordeiro, comércio, qualidade Consumers behavior of lamb meat in the north Paraná state regionABSTRACT. For many years the marketing of sheep meat was disorganized, with slaughter of low quality animals. This has created an image unfavorable to the product. As this scenario changes, sheep meat is more prominent, especially lamb meat that serves market niches in large urban centers. The objective of this work was to measure the consumption and acceptability of sheep meat in the region of Londrina -PR, according to the gender, age, level of schooling and family income of the persons interviewed, as well as to evaluate the sensorial parameters of sheep meat according to consumers without the information of the animal species, aiming to indicate guiding actions for the productive chain of sheep. A total of 951 inhabitants were interviewed and a consumer study was conducted with 134 inhabitants, both from Londrina and region, during the Agricultural and Industrial Exhibition of Londrina, in the year 2014. The main reasons for not consuming the meat is the lack of custom 44.1% followed by the fact of not liking 39.8%.

This study evaluated non-genetic factors and calculated heritability estimates of direct and maternal effects for growth traits in Nellore cattle raised in southern Brazil. Performance records of 4170, 1538, 3139, 1830, and 1151 calves born from 2005 to 2011 were analyzed for birth weight (BW), adjusted120-day weight (W120), adjusted 205-day weight (W205), adjusted365-day weight (W365), and adjusted 550-day weight (W550), respectively. The components of (co)variance used to calculate heritability estimates were determined by Derivative-Free Restricted Maximum Likelihood using the MTDFREML software. Contemporary groups were included in the model as fixed effects, and direct and maternal effects, permanent environmental effects, and residual errors were included as random effects. Phenotypic correlations were estimated using the PROC CORR procedure from SAS. Overall means for BW, W120, W205, W365, and W550 were 38, 138, 201, 270, and 376 kg, respectively. Heritability estimates for direct and maternal effects were 0.17 ± 0.04 and 0.11 ± 0.03 (BW), 0.14 ± 0.03 and 0.03 ± 0.04 (W120), and 0.17 ± 0.04 and 0.09 ± 0.03 (W205). Genetic, phenotypic, and environmental correlations were 0.79, 0.44, and 0.32 for BW and W120, 0.79, 0.39, and 0.26 for BW and W205, and 0.96, 0.74, and 0.75 for W120 and W205. The results indicate that selection for pre-weaning weight would be more efficient using W205, and genetic correlation coefficients indicate that selection at any age should produce a positively correlated response at older ages. Genetic, phenotypic, and environmental correlation coefficients between W365 and W550 were 0.99, 0.75, and 0.76, respectively. Selection for adjusted 550-day weight should produce the greatest genetic gains. Genetic correlation coefficients between weight traits indicate that selection for weight at older ages, which could help reduce the number of weighings and increase accuracy of selection at younger ages, produces gains at older ages. Key words: Beef cattle. Body weight. Correlation. Direct heritability. Maternal heritability. ResumoCom o objetivo de estudar os fatores ambientais e estimar os parâmetros genéticos, para os efeitos diretos e maternos, para as características de crescimento, foram utilizadas 4170, 1538, 3139, 1830 e 1151 observações de peso ao nascer (PN), peso ajustado aos 120 dias de idade (P120), peso ajustado aos 205 dias de idade (P205), peso ajustado aos 365 dias de idade (P365) e peso ajustado aos 550 dias (P550), de bovinos da raça Nelore nascidos no município de Amaporã-PR. As médias estimadas para PN, P120, P205, P365 e P550, foram 38 kg, 138 kg, 201 kg, 270 kg e 376 kg, respectivamente. Os componentes de (co) variância utilizados para estimar as herdabilidades foram obtidos por meio do programa MTDFREML, o modelo utilizado considerou o efeito fixo do grupo de contemporâneos, o efeito da idade da vaca ao parto como covariável, além dos efeitos aleatórios genéticos aditivo direto e materno e o efeito de ambiente permanente. As correlações fenotípicas foram estim...

-The objectives of this work were to evaluate the environmental effects (age of dam, type of birth and sex of lamb) and genetic groups (Hampshire Down and Ile de France, ½ and ¾ Hampshire Down, Ile de France and Suffolk, and ½ Texel) on performance and morphometric characteristics (height, length and heart girth) of lambs; to test regressions to predict live weight of lambs from body measurements; and to describe the growth type of the measurements as function of the weight. Weights and measurements were collected from birth to weaning, every 14 days. For evaluations of performance in relation to environmental effects and genetic groups, only data from birth and from weaning were used; for type of growth all collected data were used. Lambs from younger ewes (2 teeth) presented smaller average for weight at birth, heart girth and height at weaning. Single-birth lambs presented greater averages than twins. Genetic group influenced all traits evaluated, except heart girth at birth and average heart girth gain. Means for birth weight were higher in ¾ Ile de France (3.93±0.16 kg) and lower in ½ Texel lambs (3.04±0.24 kg), and for weaning, they were higher in ½ Texel (14.86±0.87 kg) and lower in Ile de France lambs (11.66±0.83 kg). Year of birth influenced all traits. Heart girth and length showed a negative allometric growth in relation to weight, while between weight and height the relation was positive allometric. The factors that most influenced the performance of lambs from birth to weaning are the type of birth, genetic group and year of birth. Correlations between body weight and morphometric measurements are significant, so it is possible to predict one from the other.

Este estudo foi conduzido com o objetivo de determinar o melhor teor de substituição da proteína do farelo de algodão pela proteína da torta de girassol em dietas para cordeiros Santa Inês, por meio da avaliação do consumo, ganho de peso, conversão alimentar e medidas morfométricas. Foram confinados, por 60 dias, 30 cordeiros da raça Santa Inês, machos inteiros, com idade e peso médio no início do experimento de 80 dias e 21,45±2,16kg, respectivamente. O delineamento experimental foi completamente casualizado, sendo os animais divididos em 5 tratamentos, com 6 repetições por tratamento, de acordo com a quantidade de proteína do farelo de algodão substituída pela proteína da torta de girassol (0, 20, 40, 60 e 80% de substituição). As variáveis peso final, consumo de matéria seca e conversão alimentar não foram afetadas pelas dietas experimentais, embora o ganho médio diário tenha sido inferior para as dietas com maior teor de torta de girassol. Para os parâmetros de consumo, verificou-se diferença apenas no consumo de extrato etéreo em relação ao peso metabólico (g/kg PV0,75), em que cordeiros recebendo dieta com maior teor de torta de girassol ingeriram maiores quantidades de extrato etéreo. Em relação às medidas morfométricas, houve decréscimo linear da altura de dorso e largura de garupa com a inclusão da torta de girassol na dieta. A substituição da proteína do farelo de algodão pela proteína da torta de girassol afetou negativamente o ganho de peso de cordeiros Santa Inês em confinamento. Porém, teve pouca ou nenhuma influência nos parâmetros de consumo e nas medidas morfométricas in vivo.