This study aimed to determine the impact of the inclusion of licuri cake in the diets of crossbred Santa Inês lambs, based on intake, digestibility, N balance, urea N, and performance. We used 44 male lambs that were vaccinated and wormed, with an average age of 6 mo and an average BW of 21.2 kg ± 2.7 kg. The lambs were fed a mixture of Tifton-85 hay (40%) and a concentrated mixture (60%) composed of ground corn, soybean meal, and mineral premix. For the treatments, licuri cake was added at levels of 0, 8, 16, and 24% of DM, with the licuri cake replacing soybean meal and ground corn. We used 11 lambs per treatment in a randomized design. The lambs were confined for 70 d, and the digestibility trial occurred between Day 40 and Day 55. The increased level of licuri cake inclusion promoted a linear reduction in DM intake ( = 0.00) with a 39% reduction between treatments with the 0 and 24% cakes. On the other hand, ether extract () consumption showed an initial quadratic increase ( = 0.00). The total weight gain and ADG showed a linear decrease ( = 0.00) with the addition of licuri cake. The inclusion of licuri cake linearly enhanced ( = 0.02) the digestibility of CP and EE, whereas the digestibility of other nutrients in lambs remained unchanged ( > 0.05). The licuri cake increase led to a linear decrease ( < 0.05) in the N intake, fecal N, and retained N in lambs. Urinary N was not changed. The slaughter carcass weight, HCW, cold carcass weight, hot carcass yield, and cold carcass yield showed linear decreases ( < 0.05) with the addition of licuri cake. Carcass morphometric measurements were influenced by experimental diets, showing linear decreases ( < 0.05) with the addition of licuri cake to diets. The fat thickness, conformation, external length, internal length, leg length, rump width, and chest circumference showed linear decreases ( < 0.05) with the inclusion of licuri cake in diets. The inclusion of licuri cake decreased DMI and digestibility, reflecting the lower ADG. Although feed efficiency was not affected, the lambs weighed less at slaughter and the licuri cake had a negative impact on carcass yield. Therefore, the use of the studied levels of licuri cake in diets for finishing lambs cannot be recommended.

Licury cake can be used in 21% of dry matter in diets to finish animals in feedlot without lessening the quality fresh meat or sundried meat. Salted sun-dried meat presented a greater overall acceptance. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the ingestive behavior and physiological parameters of confined goats fed peanut cake instead of soybean meal in their feed. We used 40 goats that were ¾ Boer, uncastrated, and 5 months of age on average, with an average initial weight of 15.6 ± 2.7 kg. The treatments consisted of diets with different levels of peanut cake replacing soybean meal in the concentrate (0.0, 33.33, 66.67, and 100%). The experimental design was completely randomized, with four treatments and ten repetitions. For the evaluation of feeding behavior, single animals were observed every 5 min for 24 h on 3 days. The physiological responses (respiratory rate; heart rate; rectal temperature, obtained with a rectal thermometer; and surface temperature) of the animals were evaluated at 09:00 and 15:00 h. The replacement of soybean meal with peanut cake did not change (P > 0.05) feeding behavior. The physiological parameters of the animals (P < 0.05) were altered; however, the changes appeared to be unrelated to the diet and to be due to the weather conditions. Peanut cake can replace soybean meal at 100% without causing negative effects on the feeding behavior or physiological parameters of confined ¾ Boer goats.

No abstract

Agriculture byproducts plays an important part in the diet of ruminant animals and consequently on food chain and has implications for the composition and quality of the livestock products (milk, meat, and eggs) that people consume. Feeding tannin to steers increases the amount of unsaturated fatty acids and meat tenderness, with a concomitant reduction on saturated fatty acids and the atherogenicity index in meat. Thus, we recommend adding tannin to steer diets to reduce the risk factors for cardiovascular diseases in red meat for human consumption.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of concentrate supplementation strategies on the nutritional characteristics of beef cattle in intensive management of tropical pasture. Twenty-four Nellore steer at 250 kg body weight (BW) were used, divided into two plots, with 12 animals in each plot. The experimental area consisted of 32 paddocks with 0.25 ha of Panicum maximum cv. Mombaça. The experiment consisted of 96-day experimental periods, with three periods of 32 days. The strategies studied were P = exclusively on pasture and without concentrate supplementation (control), ES = pasture and supplemented with a concentrate low in protein, PS = pasture and supplemented with high protein content, and PES = pasture and supplementation with balanced protein-energy. There was reduced intake of DM in animals of the treatment P in relation to supplemented pasture, regardless of supplementation. Animals fed on ES showed an intake of more nutrients than the animals on PS. The CP and TDN were also lower in P than in pastures where animals received the additional types of concentrate, and the PS animals showed greater digestibility of CP and TDN than the ES animals. However, the animals exhibited similar weight gains. Animals on P ingested smaller amounts of N and had lower fecal excretion compared to the supplemented animals, but there was no difference between treatments in nitrogen balance. Urea nitrogen and urea from the blood were higher in the supplemented animals than in animals fed on pasture; these levels were also higher in PS animals compared to animals receiving ES. Both the purines absorbed and microbial protein production were similar between treatments. However, the animals fed with concentrate supplementation, independent of the strategy involved, showed higher microbial efficiency compared to animals fed exclusively on pasture.

No abstract

-The objective of this work was to evaluate body composition and net requirements of protein and energy for weight gain of Nellore and crossbred F1 Limousin-Nellore steers finished on Mombasa grass pastures.Mombasa grass (Panicum maximum) pastures were managed under intermitent stocking during the rainy season, with a forage offer of 8% of the body weight (BW) based on the dry matter of green leaves. Twenty-four steers were used: 12 were Nellore (386 kg SBW) and 12 were F1 Limousin-Nellore (397 kg SBW). Changes in body composition in a 104-day experimental period were evaluated according to the comparative slaughter method. After slaughter, all body components were weighed and representative samples of carcass (HH section) and non-carcass tissues were collected, processed and chemically analyzed to determine body contents of protein, fat and energy in each animal. Linearized allometric equations were fitted to describe the pattern of growth of body components as a function of empty body weight of the animals. The obtained equations were derived to predict net requirements of protein and energy for weight gain. There were no differences between Nellore and crossbreed steers regarding to protein deposition. Nellore animals tended to a greater deposition of energy on weight compared to crossbred animals. It is possible to obtain well finished carcass in Nellore and crossbred steers with a greater weight on tropical pastures with an adequate supply of leaves. Key Words: Limousin, Mombasa grassComposição corporal e exigências líquidas de proteína e energia para ganho de peso de novilhos nelores e mestiços terminados a pasto RESUMO -Este trabalho foi conduzido com o objetivo de avaliar a composição corporal e as exigências líquidas de proteína e energia para ganho de peso de novilhos Nelore e mestiços ½Limousin-Nelore terminados em pastagem de capimmombaça. A pastagem de capim-mombaça (Panicum maximum) foi manejada em regime de lotação intermitente durante a época chuvosa, com oferta de forragem de 8% do peso corporal (PC), com base na matéria seca de folhas verdes. Foram utilizados 24 novilhos: 12 da raça Nelore (386 kg PCJ) e 12 mestiços ½Limousin-Nelore (397 kg PCJ). As mudanças de composição corporal no período de 104 dias foram avaliadas pelo método do abate comparativo. Após o abate, foram pesados todos os componentes corporais e coletadas, processadas e analisadas quimicamente amostras representativas da carcaça (seção HH) e dos tecidos não-componentes da carcaça, visando estimar os conteúdos corporais de proteína, gordura e energia em cada animal. Foram ajustadas equações alométricas linearizadas para descrever o padrão de crescimento dos componentes corporais em função do peso de corpo vazio dos animais. As equações obtidas foram derivadas objetivando a predição das exigências líquidas de proteína e energia para ganho de peso. Não houve diferenças entre os animais nelores e mestiços quanto à deposição de proteína. Os animais nelores tenderam à maior deposição de energia no ganho em comparação aos mes...