INTRODUÇÃOO azevém é a planta forrageira de inverno mais utilizada no Rio Grande do Sul, assim como na maior parte das regiões temperadas e subtropicais do globo (Bressolin 2007

-This study evaluated the correlation between measurements of rib-eye areas of sheep carcasses by traditional methods and those obtained by scanned images. Thirty pictures of the longissimus dorsi muscle of sheep carcasses were drawn on tracing paper and analyzed for muscle area (rib-eye) using four methods: scanned images, which utilizes the software DDADeterminador Digital de Áreas (Digital Area Determiner); measurements "A" and "B" applied to the equation: (A/2 × B/2) × π;Planimeter method and rib-eye grid method. All rib-eye area figures were measured five times by each method, setting up a completely randomized experiment with four treatments and five replicates. Data were submitted to analysis of variance and means were compared by the Tukey test, Pearson correlation and linear regression by the SAS software. Easiness and difficulties perceived by the evaluators in the performance of each method were also recorded. The method of scanned images analyzed by the software DDA showed high correlation with the methods traditionally used, and can be considered feasible to determine carcass rib-eye area, with the advantage of being easy to operate, flexible, and economical.

This research aimed to evaluate the dry matter yield, structural composition and nutritive characteristics of diploid and tetraploid annual ryegrass cultivars on different phenological development to haymaking on lowland soils. The experimental design was developed based on randomized blocks with split plots, four cultivars of annual ryegrass (BRS Ponteio and FEPAGRO São Gabriel, diploid; INIA Escorpio and KLM 138, tetraploid), and three phenological crop phases (vegetative, pre-blossoming and blossoming). Were evaluated, dry matter yield, leaf:stem ratio, leaf weight ratio, tiller population density, specific leaf area, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent fiber. All data were submitted to analysis of variance and the means were compared by Tukey-Kramer test (p< 0,05). Highest forage mass is obtained with harvest in blossoming stage. Tetraploid cultivars present better leaf proportion and higher content of crude protein during vegetative stage. The decrease the in concentration of protein with the change of phenological stage is less evident on diploid cultivars. The vegetative stage enables harvest forage with high nutritional value, with lower production of biomass.