Abstract in English:

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the losses of nutrient through gases and effluents, the nutrient recovery, fermentation parameters and the chemical parameters of silages of Brachiaria decumbens with the addition of soybean hulls, testing five levels of inclusion: 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40% (as is), with five replications per treatment. After the standardization cut of the forage, performed at 5 cm from the soil level, the soil was fertilized with nitrogen and potassium in the form of ammonium sulfate and potassium chloride, respectively, at 60 kg/ha. After 60 days, the grass was cut at 10 cm from the soil and ensiled. Experimental silos with capacity of 10 liters with Bunsen valve were used. Silos had 3 kg of sand conditioned at the bottom for retention of the effluents. The results show that the contents of dry matter, crude protein, acid detergent insoluble fiber and total digestible nutrients presented positive linear behavior with the inclusion of soybean hulls. In the grass silages with addition of soybean hulls, there was greater recovery of dry matter in relation to the control silage, which is a reflection of the negative linear behavior for the values of losses of gases and effluent. There was quadratic behavior in the pH values and negative linear behavior for the ammonia N values and buffering capacity with the inclusion of the additive in the grass silage. Inclusion of soybean hulls is sufficient to improve the fermentation pattern and minimize the losses through gases and effluents, contributing to the nutrient recovery, in addition to promoting overall improvement of the nutritional value of Brachiaria grass silages.

Abstract in English:

The objective of this study was to evaluate agronomic characteristics of 32 sorghum cultivars (Sorghum bicolor (L). Moench) in the Brazilian semi-arid region. The experimental design was set up in randomized blocks with three replications. Treatments were the 32 sorghum cultivars. The evaluated variables were: plant height, stem diameter, tiller density, number of green leaves per tiller, average leaf length, dry matter content, fresh matter production and dry matter production (DMP) in kg/ha, and the percentage of the components panicle, leaf blade and stem. To avoid associative effects due to the presence of positive correlation with DMP, the variables plant height, number of plants per hectare and fresh matter production were excluded for being part of the discriminatory variables of the cluster. Based on the cluster analysis and subjective cutting in 20% dissimilarity, five groups were hierarchically set up. It was not possible to find groups with higher values of panicle and DMP simultaneously; however, group number 5 met significant values for both variables, with mean values of 15,037.63 kg/ha of DMP and 11.36% of panicle, besides 13.65% of leaf. Groups 3, 4 and 5 show high potential for dry matter production, especially group 5. The presence of evident variation among cultivars allows for a selection of more productive and, thus, more suitable cultivars for silage production in semi-arid regions.

Abstract in English:

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of nitrogen (N) fertilization in the four seasons of the year on forage production, nitrate (NO3) in the sap, total N in the forage and relative chlorophyll index (SPAD reading) in the leaves of irrigated Panicum maximum cv. Tanzania grass, establishing their critical ranges. In addition, we evaluated the ability to predict forage production based on NO3 in the sap, total N in the forage and relative chlorophyll index. The soil in the experimental area was classified as an Oxisol (Red-Yellow Latosol) with a clayey texture. Annual rates of N (0, 200, 400 and 800 kg ha-1) in the form of urea were the treatments tested. Irrigation was performed through a conventional spray system. The NO3 content in the sap and the relative chlorophyll index were measured in leaves using a portable meter with NO3 selective electrode and the SPAD-502 portable chlorophyll meter device, respectively. Tanzania guinea grass was very responsive to N fertilization, except in the winter. The critical ranges of the SPAD reading proved to be more adequate for monitoring the nutritional state of N of Tanzania guinea grass in the different seasons of the year than the NO3 content in the sap and the total N content in the dry matter. Use of the chlorophyll meter is more advantageous than the use of the portable meter with an nitrate selective electrode for predicting the nutritional status of Tanzania guinea grass.

Abstract in English:

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of cleaning and decontamination procedures in liquid nitrogen tanks. We evaluated 151 canisters and 133 bottoms from 133 nitrogen tanks of companies or farms for the presence of bacteria and fungi. Samples were collected from the canisters and the bottom of tanks containing liquid nitrogen. Tanks were divided into Group 1 (G1): tanks decontaminated with 2% glutaraldehyde - Glutaron® II (n = 16 canisters in 8 tanks); Group 2 (G2): decontamination with 70% ethanol (n = 20 canisters in 10 tanks); and Group 3 (G3): decontamination with 70% ethanol (n = 115 canisters in 115 tanks). Tanks in Groups 1 and 2 belonged to companies; Group 3 tanks belonged to farms. The culture of canisters showed twelve genera of bacteria and five genera of fungi. Bacillus cereus was the most prevalent bacterial contaminant (42/133) in liquid nitrogen tanks (31.57%). Decontamination by 2% glutaraldehyde plus 70% ethanol was effective and no difference was found between the decontamination methods of Groups 1 and 2. In Group 3 the decontamination method was considered effective. Handling procedures with high hygienic standards should be recommended to avoid contamination of liquid nitrogen tanks on farms.

Abstract in English:

The objective of this study was to evaluate the processing of millet grain provided at two supplementation frequencies for grazing beef cattle during the dry season on nutritional parameters. Five rumen-cannulated crossbred steers, with 24 to 26 months of age and average body weight of 428.6±26.06 kg, were assigned to a Latin square design (5 × 5) in a 2 × 2 + 1 factorial arrangement, as follows: two forms of millet grain (whole grains - or ground; WG - GG), two strategies of concentrate supplementation (daily distribution - 7X; or three times a week - 3X) and a control treatment (mineral mixture - MM). Animals were kept in five paddocks of 0.24 ha each with Marandu grass pastures. Concentrate supplements were supplied at 2.00 and 4.66 kg/animal/day for treatments 7X and 3X, respectively. The concentrate supplementation enhanced the intake of total dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM) and nutrients compared with mineral supplementation. No differences were found between dry matter intake and forage organic matter intake. The values of digestibility coefficients of DM, OM, ether extract, total carbohydrates and non-fiber carbohydrates were increased by concentrate supplementation. Regarding concentrations of rumen ammonia nitrogen, the interactions among time × treatment × day and day × treatment had effects on the measurements of ruminal pH. Plasma urea nitrogen, urinary urea excretion and urinary urea N excretion differed only between MM treatment and the others, with no interference of grain physical form and supplementation frequency on those variables. The millet grain processing does not alter forage intake, but improves digestibility. Daily supplementation increases digestibility of dry matter and neutral detergent fiber.

Abstract in English:

The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of whey fermented by Enterococus faecium in consortium with Veilonella parvula in vitro on ruminal microorganisms in different substrates, with or without monensin. The first experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design, in a 6 × 3 factorial arrangement (six substrates × three whey levels) with two replicates. In experiment two, a 2 × 3 × 4 factorial arrangement (with and without monensin, three foods and four levels of fermented whey) was used, in a randomized design with four replicates, totaling 24 treatments. There was no interaction among the wheys and the substrates in the variable for pectin, starch, and carboxymethyl cellulose. There was a greater growth of amylolytic and pectinolytic microorganisms and a lower growth of proteolytic and cellulolytic microorganisms. A significant effect of optical density was found in the media without substrate and that containing trypticase and glucose due to the addition of fermented whey. There was interaction for the pH at 24 hours among whey, food and monensin. For ammonia at 24 hours there was effect for food, whey and monensin, and interaction among factors. For microbial protein at 24 hours, there was effect for food, whey, monensin and no interaction among sources of variation. The use of whey fermented by bacteria Enterococcus faecium and Veilonella parvula improves microbial protein synthesis by ruminal bacteria in media containing different energy sources. The combination of fermented whey and monensin shows variable results in relation to microbial growth.

Abstract in English:

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the use of babassu mesocarp meal (BMM) and corn in different physical forms on the feeding behavior of crossbred young bulls of a dairy breed. Twenty-four crossbred (Nellore vs. Holstein) steers (307.35 kg) were fed four experimental diets containing two levels of inclusion of the babassu mesocarp meal (0 and 412.4 g/kg) and corn in two physical forms (kernels or ground) for 98 days. Data was collected on three days during the finishing phase, with observations every five minutes, for 24 hours. When the activities performed by the animals were evaluated as a function of the period of the day, the physical form of the corn showed interaction with the BMM inclusion level on the time spent feeding and on other activities. When the activities were evaluated over the day, the defecation frequency was affected and decreased as BMM was included. The feeding time was longer at the moments that followed feed supply, whereas the time used for other activities increased during the morning period, regardless of the diet utilized. Rumination and idle times were affected by the period of the day and remained high during the night and morning periods. There was increase in feeding time and dry matter rumination efficiencies and neutral detergent fiber as BMM was added to the diet. The number of rumination chews per bolus, however, decreased as BMB was included. Inclusion of babassu mesocarp meal increases the animal feeding time but the physical form of corn does not change its feeding behavior.

Abstract in English:

In this article we research the influence of different sources of carbohydrates (corn, soybean hulls or wheat bran) upon the digestive behavior of 24 confined castrated steers with an initial average age and weight of 20 months and 330 kg born from the cross between Charolais and Nellore. The diet was composed of 40% sorghum silage and 60% concentrate. The time spent on total ruminating (an average of 454.6 min/day) was not influenced by the source of carbohydrate. The animals from the wheat bran treatment spent less time idle (718 min) in relation to those on the corn and soybean hulls treatments, which did not differ between themselves (an average of 792 min/day). The steers from the wheat bran treatment remained less time feeding (184 min/day) compared with those fed the other treatments, whose average time of permanence in this activity was 214 minutes per day. The other studied variables did not present a significant difference between the treatments. Inclusion of wheat bran in the diet of the confined steers results in less spent time idle, while steers feeding on soybean hulls spend less time feeding. The use of corn, soybean hulls, or wheat bran in the diet of the confined steers does not affect the total cudding time.