The aim of this review is to address some characteristics that influence meat quality. Genetic groups, nutrition, finishing systems and gender are the major factors that change carcass characteristics, chemical composition and fatty acid profile. Genetic groups that have zebu genes in their composition show higher hot carcass dressing than genetic groups without zebu genes. Genetic groups that have European breeds in their composition have higher marbling scores. On the other hand, genetic groups that have zebu breeds show low marbling scores. Bulls finished in feedlots present higher final weight than steers, cull cows and heifers. Fat thickness is one of the principal parameters that are affected by different gender. Cull cows (4.72 mm) and heifers (4.00 mm) present higher values than bulls (1.75 mm) and steers (2.81 mm). The major effects observed by different systems of termination are fat thickness and marbling. Crude protein presents variation due to nutrition. Nutrition influences variation of fatty acid profile. Genetic groups also influence fatty acid profile. Genetic groups that have zebu genes in their composition show high percentage of PUFA. The major class of fatty acids that is changed with nutrition is PUFA. The better ratios of PUFA/SFA and n-6/n-3 are found in Longissimus muscle of animals finished in pasture systems.

Grazing supplementation: availability and quality x supplementation levels x performance ABSTRACT -The objective was to evaluate the results of supplementation in the dry season of the year and the possible interference of the forage availability and quality and level of supplementation on performance. The total DM and green dry matter pasture availability deferred for use in the dry season has an average of all experiments of 6,431 kg ha -1 and 2,173 kg ha -1 . The Brachiaria under grazing in the dry season have high levels of NDF, with an average of 74.50%, high levels of ADF, with an average of 44.19%, low levels of CP, with average of 5.59% and low levels of IVDM/O, with an average of 51.36%. In this sense, the diet taken by the animal usually presents higher crude protein and lower levels of NDF. On consumption in grazing, note that the intake reduction is limited by until the level of supplementation of 0.3% of body weight (BW) per day and when the consumption of supplement increases to levels above 0.3% of BW, the consumption of grass is low and that this decrease may be even greater when the supply of supplement is 0.8% of the BW. Supplementation of cattle provided larger gains than those receiving only mineral in the dry season. Must be guaranteed at least 4,500 kg DM total.ha -1 , 1,200 kg.ha -1 of green dry matter, offering 10 to 12% of the BW offorage DM and 6% of DM potentially digestible to ensure selectivity and earnings satisfactory individual without compromising the gain per area. A supplementation in the dry season in Brachiaria is biologically feasible for positive effect on weight gain, but the economic viability of the system is location dependent. Supplementation levels above 0.8% of the BW should be investigated as alternatives that may avoid possible negative effects on the rumen environment to reduce the expectations of gain, as the fractionation of supplementation.

This work was carried out to study the carcass characteristics, the chemical composition and the fatty acid profile in Longissimus muscle (LM) of bull breeds Nellore, NEL (11), Caracu, CAR (12) and Holstein-Friesian, HFR (12) finished in a feedlot. The bulls were fed twice a day with corn silage, cotton meal, cracked corn, urea, limestone and mineral salt. NEL and CAR bulls had similar (p>0.05) final weight and hot carcass weight. However, NEL and CAR bulls had higher (p<0.05) final weight and hot carcass weight than HFR bulls. Carcass hot dressing, carcass conformation, cushion thickness, Longissimus muscle area and texture were similar (p>0.05) among NEL, CAR and HFR bulls. NEL and HFR bulls had higher (p<0.05) carcass length in comparison to the CAR breed. Nellore breed had higher (p<0.05) leg length in comparison to CAR and HFR breeds. Leg length was similar (p>0.05) between CAR and HFR breeds. Thickness fat, color and marbling score were lower (p<0.05) in NEL breed in comparison to CAR and HFR breeds. LM of NEL bulls had higher (p<0.05) meat moisture content in comparison to CAR and HFR bulls. In contrast, lipid content was lower (p<0.10) in HFR bulls. LM ash and crude protein contents were similar (p>0.05) among breeds. Saturated fatty acids (SFA) were higher (p<0.10) in HFR animals. Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), n-6, n-3 and PUFA/SFA ratio were similar (p>0.05) among the different breeds. N-6/n-3 ratio was higher (p<0.05) in CAR animals.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a composição químico-bromatológica e a digestibilidade in vitro do bagaço de cana-de-açúcar, submetido à amonização com uréia. Os tratamentos constaram de quatro doses de uréia, adicionadas ao bagaço de cana-de-açúcar, e adição de 1,2% de soja como fonte de urease. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o inteiramente casualizado. O bagaço foi armazenado em silos de PVC com capacidade para 5,3 L, que foram abertos depois de 110 dias de amonização. Com a adição das doses de uréia ao bagaço, houve aumento linear nos teores de proteína bruta. Os teores de fibra em detergente neutro, fibra em detergente ácido, hemicelulose, celulose, lignina e carboidratos totais diminuíram, enquanto os teores de nitrogênio insolúvel em detergente ácido, nitrogênio insolúvel em detergente neutro, carboidratos não fibrosos, nitrogênio amoniacal e pH aumentaram, significativamente, com a adição de uréia. Nas doses avaliadas, a uréia adicionada ao bagaço promove aumento no conteúdo dos compostos nitrogenados, diminuição dos componentes fibrosos e aumenta a digestibilidade in vitro da matéria seca. Estimada pela equação de regressão, a adição de 2,62% de uréia ao bagaço de cana fornece o teor mínimo de proteína bruta para o bom funcionamento do rúmen.

Resumo -O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar os efeitos de diferentes níveis de farelo de cacau e torta de dendê (0, 15 e 30%) em substituição ao milho e farelo de soja no concentrado, sobre o comportamento ingestivo de cinco cabras Saanen, lactantes, não prenhes, com peso corporal médio inicial de 41,6 kg, alojadas em baias individuais durante cinco períodos experimentais. O volumoso utilizado foi a silagem de milho, em proporção de 40:60 (volumoso:concentrado). Distribuídos em um delineamento em quadrado latino 5x5, os animais foram observados em cada um dos cinco tratamentos, ao final de cada período experimental, durante 24 horas, a intervalos de 10 minutos. Não houve diferença entre os tempos de alimentação, ruminação e ócio. Embora os animais que receberam 30% de farelo de cacau tenham reduzido o consumo de matéria seca (MS), a eficiência alimentar (em g de MS/h e g de FDN/h) foi semelhante em todos os tratamentos. No entanto, a eficiência de ruminação (em g de MS/h e g de FDN/h) e a quantidade de MS e FDN (g/bolo ruminado) foram maiores nos animais com dietas de 30% de farelo de cacau. O tempo total de mastigações (h/dia), o número de bolos ruminados (n o /dia), o número de mastigações merícicas (n o /dia e n o /bolo) e o tempo de mastigações merícicas por bolo (s/bolo) não apresentaram diferenças significativas. A inclusão de farelo de cacau ou torta de dendê na dieta influenciou parâmetros do comportamento ingestivo.Termos para indexação: alimentação, descanso, ruminação, subprodutos. Ingestive behavior of dairy goats fed on cocoa meal or palm cakeAbstract -The objective of this work was to study the effects of different cocoa meal and palm cake levels (0, 15 and 30%) in substitution to corn and soybean meal, on the ingestive behavior of five non-pregnant lactating Saanen goats, with initial body weight of 41.6 kg. Animals were housed in individual barns during five experimental periods and were distribuided in a 5x5 latin square desing. Each animal was observed in each treatment, at the end of the experimental period, during 24 hours, with 10 minutes intervals. The roughage used was corn silage in 40:60 roughage:concentrate proportion. There was no difference in the feeding, ruminating and idle times. Although animals receiving 30% cocoa meal showed a reduction in dry matter intake, the feeding efficiency, in g of DM/h and g of NDF/h, was similar in all treatments. Rumination efficiency, in g of DM/h and g of NDF/h, and DM and grams of DM of NDF/ruminated boli were decreased by 30% cocoa meal. The total chewing time (h/day), the number of ruminated (boli/day), the ruminating chews (no/day and no/boli) and the time of ruminating chews boli (sec/boli) did not show any significant difference. The cocoa meal or palm cake inclusion in the diet influenced some ingestive behavior parameters.

This experiment was carried out to evaluate performance and carcass characteristics of 40 crossbred young bulls (Zebu×European) finished in a feedlot under two roughage sources (Bermuda grass hay or sorghum silage) with or without the addition of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisae). The bulls were 20 months old, their initial average weight was 356 kg and they were allocated into four groups of ten animals. The experimental diets were Bermuda grass, Bermuda grass+yeast, sorghum silage and sorghum silage +yeast. Animal performance and carcass characteristics were not influenced by roughage source or yeast addition. The average daily weight gain was 1.50 kg, dry matter intake (DMI) was 11.1 kg/d, DMI as percentage of liveweight was 2.60% and feed dry matter conversion was 7.70. The mean dressing percentage was 52.0% and hot carcass weight was 268 kg. Carcass conformation was classified between good-minus to good. Carcass length (137 cm), leg length (72.9 cm) and cushion thickness (26.6 cm) were not influenced by treatments. The average fat thickness was 3.80 mm and the Longissimus muscle area was 66.9 cm 2 . The classification of color, texture and marbling were slightly dark red to red, fine and slight-minus to light-typical, respectively. The mean percentage of bone, muscle and fat in the carcass was 15.5%, 62.3% and 22.5%, respectively. Yeast addition increased γ-linolenic fatty acid (0.15 vs. 0.11%) deposition. Bermuda grass hay increased deposition of α-linolenic (0.49 vs. 0.41%), arachidonic (2.30 vs. 1.57%), eicosapentaenoic (0.41 vs. 0.29%), docosapentaenoic (0.80 vs. 0.62%), docosahexaenoic (0.11 vs. 0.06%) and n-3 fatty acids, and reduced n-6: n-3 ratio in meat, when compared to sorghum silage treatments. The treatments had no effect on saturated fatty acids (49.5%), polyunsaturated fatty acids (11.8%), n-6 fatty acids (9.87%), n-3 (1.61%) and PUFA:SFA ratio (0.24). Monounsaturated fatty acid levels were higher on sorghum silage (40.7 vs. 37.7%). The addition of yeast caused higher n-6: n-3 ratio (7.28 vs. 5.70) than treatments without yeast.

O experimento foi conduzido para avaliar o comportamento ingestivo de ovinos alimentados com dietas contendo farelo de cacau. Foram utilizados 16 ovinos Santa Inês fêmeas, não-gestantes e não-lactantes, com peso corporal médio de 25 kg e aproximadamente 12 meses de idade, mantidos em baias individuais. O farelo de cacau foi fornecido no concentrado nos níveis de 0, 10, 20 e 30% e, como volumoso, utilizou-se feno de mandioca. As dietas foram fornecidas em mistura completa, na proporção 50:50 volumoso:concentrado. Os tempos de alimentação, ruminação e ócio obtidos em 24 horas de observação foram semelhantes. Contudo, os animais que consumiram dietas com maiores níveis de farelo de cacau, acima de 14,8% de substituição no concentrado, reduziram o número de bolos ruminados por dia, que foi compensado pelo aumento do tempo de mastigações por bolo. Os consumos de matéria seca (MS) e fibra em detergente neutro (FDN) e a eficiência de alimentação (g MS e FDN/hora) não foram influenciados pelos níveis de farelo de cacau na dieta, entretanto, esse alimento provocou alterações na eficiência de ruminação (g MS e FDN/bolo). O número de mastigações merícicas por bolo ruminado aumentou linearmente, enquanto o número de mastigações por dia apresentou comportamento quadrático, com valor máximo de 42.818,4 mastigações diárias para o nível de 16,9% de farelo de cacau. Embora não se tenha verificado diferença nos consumos de MS e FDN (kg/dia), a inclusão de farelo de cacau em dietas para ovinos Santa Inês afetou alguns parâmetros do comportamento ingestivo.

RESUMO -Foram estudados os efeitos do uso de silagem de capim-elefante amonizada ou não com uréia (5% na base da MS) e da substituição do concentrado (milho e farelo de soja) por farelo de cacau (FC) ou torta de dendê (TD) na dieta sobre o comportamento ingestivo de ovinos Santa Inês. Dezoito ovinos machos não-castrados (peso médio inicial de 22,62 kg), alojados em baias individuais, foram distribuídos em delineamento experimental inteiramente casualizado, com seis tratamentos, dois volumosos (silagem de capim-elefante amonizada ou não com uréia) e três níveis de substituição do concentrado (milho + farelo de soja) por farelo de cacau ou torta de dendê (0% FC e TD, 40% FC e 40% TD) na dieta, fornecida na proporção de 60:40 volumoso:concentrado. O período experimental foi de 78 dias, sendo 15 dias destinados à adaptação dos animais às dietas. Os animais foram observados a cada cinco minutos, durante dois períodos de 24 horas/dia, no final do período experimental. Foram registrados o tempo despendido em alimentação, ruminação e ócio e o número e o tempo de mastigações merícicas por bolo ruminado. Não houve diferença entre os tempos de alimentação, ruminação e ócio. A amonização do capim-elefente e a inclusão do farelo de cacau no concentrado aumentaram a eficiência de ruminação, mas a maioria dos parâmetros do comportamento ingestivo avaliados não sofreu alterações.Palavras-chave: alimentação, farelo de cacau, ruminação, torta de dendê, tratamento químico Ingestive behaviour of sheep fed with ammoniated or non-ammoniated elephantgrass silage and agro industrial by-products ABSTRACT -The effects of feeding elephantgrass silage ammoniated or not with urea (5% DM basis) and the concentrate replacement (corn and soybean meal) by cocoa meal (CM) or palm cake (PC) on the ingestive behaviour of 18 Santa Inês non-castrated male sheep averaging 22.62 kg of initial body weight were studied. The animals were allotted to individual pensas a completely randomized design with six treatments, two roughages (elephantgrass silage ammoniated with urea or not) and three concentrate replacement level with by cocoa meal or palm cake (0% CM and PC, 40% CM and 40% PC), with 60:40 roughage:concentrate proportion. The experimental period lasted 78 days (15 days for diet adaptation). The animals were observed every five minutes, during two-24 hour/day periods, at the end of the experimental period. In each observation period, the following variables were measured: time spent eating, time spent ruminating, time spent in idle, and number and time of ruminating chews per ruminated bolus. There was no significant difference between eating, ruminating and idle times. The elephantgrass ammoniated and the inclusion of cocoa meal in the concentrate increased the rumination efficiency, however, the majority of the evaluated ingestive behaviour parameters were not influenced by the treatments.Key Words: chemical treatment, cocoa meal, feeding, palm cake, rumination IntroduçãoAs diversas condições de alimentação podem modificar os parâmetros do compo...