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Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia, Volume: 45, Número: 9, Publicado: 2016
  • Using an observer rating method to assess the effects of rotational stocking method on beef cattle temperament over time Forage Crops

    Góis, Karen Camille Rocha; Ceballos, Maria Camila; Sant'Anna, Aline Cristina; Costa, Mateus José Rodrigues Paranhos da

    Resumo em Inglês:

    ABSTRACT The objectives of this study were to propose behavioral-based definitions for the adjectives used in an observer rating method, and to use this approach to characterize temperament over time in cattle kept under rotational stocking method. We also analyzed the feasibility of the rating method under commercial cattle farming conditions. We evaluated the temperament evolution of 1,979 pure and crossbred Nellore young bulls over time on three commercial farms located in Northeastern Pará State, Brazil. All animals were kept under a rotational stocking method. The observer rating method included 14 behaviorally predefined adjectives for which we defined the minimum and maximum scores. The first factor was considered a qualitative temperament index (QTI) ranging from 'relaxed'/'calm'/'comfortable' to 'fearful'/'agitated'. According to the QTI, cattle temperament improved over time. For Farms A and B, QTI decreased over evaluations, and for Farm C, QTI did not differ from the first to the second evaluations, but decreased from the second assessment onwards. The observer rating method consisting of behaviorally pre-defined adjectives is an adequate indicator of cattle temperament that may be feasible under farm conditions. The method captures different aspects of cattle temperament and distinguishes between slight variations in cattle body language that successfully reveal temperament changes over time.
  • The impact of eggshell colour and spot area in Japanese quails: II. Slaughter and carcass characteristic Non-Ruminants

    Alasahan, Sema; Akpinar, Gulsen Copur; Canogullari, Sibel; Baylan, Mikail

    Resumo em Inglês:

    ABSTRACT This study was carried out to investigate the effects of eggshell colour and spot properties (colour and size of the spot area) on growth performance and carcass traits of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) eggs. Study material were allocated to five groups according to their eggshell and spot colours: black spots on greyish white coloured eggshell (I), blue spots on greyish white coloured eggshell (II), diffuse brown spots on greyish brown coloured eggshell (III), brown spots on light green colored eggshell (IV), and small brown spots on greyish brown coloured eggshell (V). The size of the spotted area was determined in each egg group using digital image analysis. The groups did not differ for body weight and length of the shank at the end of the growth period. However, the groups differed significantly for carcass yield after slaughter (not eviscerated) and carcass yield. These parameters were highest in Group I (82.08 and 76.09%) and lowest in Group III (80.20 and 73.86%). Digital image analysis demonstrated that heart length, cardiac fat area, gizzard width, and intestine length varied between the groups. Cardiac fat area was largest in Group III (0.86 cm2) and smallest in Group V (0.65 cm2). Gizzard width was greatest in Group I (2.63 cm) and smallest in Group V (2.47 cm). Intestine length was greatest in Group V (78.45 cm) and smallest in Group IV (72.39 cm). Body weight, shank length, and slaughter and carcass weight do not vary in relation to eggshell colour or the size of the spotted area. The lengths of intestine and heart, gizzard width, and cardiac fat area do vary in relation to eggshell colour or the size of the spotted area.
  • Effect of using insect larvae meal as a complete protein source on quality and productivity characteristics of laying hens Non-Ruminants

    Al-Qazzaz, Mohammed Farooq Abdulhameed; Ismail, Dahlan; Akit, Henny; Idris, Lokman Hakim

    Resumo em Inglês:

    ABSTRACT This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) as a source of protein in layer diets on product performance, egg quality, hatchability, fertility, and sensory characteristics of eggs. The BSFL contained a high percentage of protein (559.9 g kg−1), metabolizable energy (696.3 kcal kg−1), crude fat (18.6 g kg−1), and dry matter (178 g kg−1) and a good balance of amino acids. A total of 54 Arabic strain hens at nine months of age were mixed with nine cocks at 12 months old; all were divided into three treatments. The diets were formulated based on three levels of energy-to-protein ratio: 155, 140, and 170. The BSFL meal was added at 0, 50, and 10 g kg−1 respectively. The results showed that feed intake, weight gain, Haugh unit, and hatchability were not affected by dietary treatments with BSFL. However, there was significant improvement in hen day egg production and hen house egg production due to dietary treatments of BSFL. Also, feed conversion ratio, egg weight, shell thickness, shell weight, egg yolk color, fertility, and egg mass were affected by dietary treatments. In addition, a significant improvement was observed in appearance, texture, taste, and acceptance of eggs of hens fed BSFL at 50 g kg−1. The odor was not affected by dietary treatments. Black soldier fly larvae can be a good source of protein in layer diets.
  • Effect of incubation system on the development of intestinal villi, metabolism, and performance of one- to forty-day-old broiler chickens Non-Ruminants

    Villanueva, Araceli Pacheco; Ebling, Patrícia Diniz; Pontalti, Gabriel Colombo; Ribeiro, Andréa Machado Leal

    Resumo em Inglês:

    ABSTRACT An experiment was performed to evaluate the effect of the incubation system ― multiple-stage (MS) and single-stage (SS) ― on the characteristics at hatching, intestinal morphology, metabolism, and performance of Cobb-500 chickens from 1 to 40 d of age. A total of 1,968 fertile eggs were incubated in two setters under commercial conditions. Birds hatched in SS were longer than those hatched in MS, and the females had higher relative intestinal weight compared with males. However, at hatching, there were no differences in BW and yolk-free body mass from incubation system or sex. In the period from 1-40 d, the birds hatched in SS were heavier, had higher weight gain and better adjusted feed conversion, without differences in feed intake and feed conversion. This result is due mainly to MS females, which always, although in some periods only numerically, exhibited worse responses than the other treatment, lowering the average MS bird performance. Sex influenced the duodenal villi height in chickens at 0 d; females showed larger villi than males. Moreover, the birds hatched in SS had deeper crypts than those hatched in MS. At 7 d, because males had higher feed intake, the differences in duodenal villi height found at hatching disappeared, leaving only a gender effect on jejunum crypt depth: females showed deeper crypts. As regards the metabolism coefficients of nutrients from 5 to 7 d, females were more efficient in metabolizing energy and showed higher apparent metabolizable energy corrected for nitrogen values than males, with no differences caused by the incubation system. The best incubation conditions are obtained with the single-stage system, based on the improved broiler performance (2.98%), especially in the females (5.04%).
  • Energy utilization of light and heavy weaned piglets subjected to different dietary energy levels Non-Ruminants

    Ribeiro, Andréa Machado Leal; Farina, Giovani; Vieira, Marcia de Souza; Perales, Valentino Arnaiz; Kessler, Alexandre de Mello

    Resumo em Inglês:

    ABSTRACT This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary metabolisable energy (ME: 3.25, 3.40, 3.55, or 3.70 Mcal kg−1) and weaning weight (WW: light 4.0±0.7 kg, and heavy: 6.3±0.6 kg) on productive response and energy utilization of weaned piglets. Sixty-four male piglets were housed in 32 metabolic cages (two animals per cage) during the first 14 d postweaning. At day 15, only one animal per cage was kept until day 28. Body composition, energy, and nutrient deposition rates and energy utilization efficiency were measured through a comparative slaughter procedure. Piglets with light WW had a poorer feed conversion ratio and lower weight gain and feed intake when expressed per live weight. Increased ME led to greater daily fat deposition in the empty bodies (defined as weighted mean of the carcass + organs + blood, no intestinal content), while light WW piglets had a reduced protein deposition. Light WW piglets increased heat production with increased ME, but no effect was seen for the heavy WW piglets. By contrast, heavy WW piglets increased empty body gross energy as ME increased, while no influence was observed on light WW piglets. Increasing dietary energy levels did not contribute to the subsequent growth performance of piglets that were lighter at weaning. The lack of interaction between weaning weight and dietary ME content on growth performance does not support the hypothesis that light piglets at weaning do not exhibit compensatory growth because of limitations in energy intake.
  • Behavior of immunocastrated pigs Non-Ruminants

    Santos, Rita de Kássia Silva dos; Caldara, Fabiana Ribeiro; Moi, Marta; Santos, Luan Sousa dos; Nääs, Irenilza Alencar; Foppa, Luciana; Garcia, Rodrigo Garófallo; Borquis, Rusbel Raul Aspilcueta

    Resumo em Inglês:

    ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the behavior of immunocastrated male pigs compared with females and castrated males during the period before and after full immunization. A total of 30 animals were divided into three treatments, with ten animals in each (females, barrows, and immunocastrated males). The experiment was divided into three periods: 70 to 80 days of age (period 1), 81 to 110 days of age (period 2), and 111 to 140 days of age (period 3). The behavior of animals during these stages was evaluated. Immunocastrated males showed a higher rate of aggressive and sexual behavior during period 2, which decreased after the second vaccine dose. Both barrows and immunocastrated males presented high locomotion in period 1, reducing the frequency of this activity in period 3. All analyzed animals had a higher level of activities such as drinking, playing, and sexual behavior in period 1 than in the other periods, decreasing during the experiment. The remaining behavioral responses did not differ between the studied categories. Immunocastrated males had higher proportions of undesirable behaviors (aggressive and sexual) related to the surgically castrated males and females, and these were reduced after the second vaccine dose. Immunocastration is effective in the reduction of behaviors such as agonistic and sexual at the same levels observed in females and surgically castrated males. However, immunocastrated pigs are more subject to these undesirable behaviors before full immunization.
  • Performance and serum cortisol concentration in Santa Inês lambs under different suckling schemes Ruminants

    Alves, Ana Carolina; Alves, Nadja Gomes; Ascari, Ivan Júnior; Junqueira, Felipe Barbosa; Maciel, Luciana França Smith; Garcia, Iraides Ferreira Furusho; Lima, Renato Ribeiro

    Resumo em Inglês:

    ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to examine the effects of suckling schemes (continued, controlled, and total separation) and the type of pregnancy on performance and serum cortisol concentration in lambs. A total of 29 Santa Inês ewes and 40 lambs were used, and the randomized block design was applied in a split-plot scheme with a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement in the plot and time in the subplot. For controlled suckling, the diet was supplied twice daily during one hour, starting on their 10th day of life. Total and average daily intakes of concentrate dry matter of lambs that underwent total separation was higher than those of lambs under continued suckling. Lambs subjected to total separation demonstrated higher concentrate dry matter intake/weight gain ratio, lower total weight gain, lower average daily weight gain, and lower weaning weight than those subjected to continued and controlled suckling. Lambs from single pregnancy demonstrated higher weight gain and obtained higher weight at weaning. Lambs subjected to total separation have a developmental delay. However, the lower performance of lambs subject to total separation cannot be attributed to stress because there is a decrease in the serum cortisol concentration over time.
  • Dietary glycerin does not affect meat quality of Ile de France lambs Ruminants

    Borghi, Thiago Henrique; Silva Sobrinho, Américo Garcia da; Zeola, Nivea Maria Brancacci Lopes; Almeida, Fabiana Alves de; Cirne, Luís Gabriel Alves; Lima, Ana Rebeca Castro

    Resumo em Inglês:

    ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the physicochemical and nutritional characteristics of meat from three muscles of Ile de France lambs fed diets containing different levels of glycerin as an alternative to corn. Thirty non-castrated feedlot Ile de France lambs weighing 15±0.2 kg were housed in individual pens and slaughtered at 32±0.2 kg. Treatments consisted of three diets: sugarcane + 0% glycerin; sugarcane + 10% glycerin; and sugarcane + 20% glycerin; and three muscles were evaluated: triceps brachii, semimembranosus, and longissimus lumborum. No interactions were observed among glycerin levels and muscle types for the quality characteristics evaluated. Muscles were similar in terms of physicochemical and nutritional characteristics, and only differed in sarcomere length, diameter of muscle fibers, and cholesterol content. Dietary glycerin did not affect pH, water holding capacity (24 h and 30 days after slaughter), weight loss by thawing and cooking, shear force, diameter of muscle fibers, sarcomere length, lipid oxidation, chemical composition, or meat cholesterol content. Dietary glycerin resulted in a linear decrease of muscle yellowness from 3.99 to 3.29. Dietary glycerin altered intramuscular fat fatty acid profile, increasing the concentration of margaric acid (1.47 to 2.61%). Up to 20% glycerin can be included in the diet of feedlot lambs without any harm to meat quality.
  • Kinetics of digestion of low-quality forage grazed by beef cattle fed supplements containing increasing levels of rumen undegradable protein Ruminants

    Gomes, Raphael dos Santos; Oliveira, Tadeu Silva de; Pereira, José Carlos; Vieira, Ricardo Augusto Mendonça; Silva, Cássio José da; Leonel, Fernando de Paula; Fernandes, Alberto Magno; Azevedo, Flavio Henrique Vidal

    Resumo em Inglês:

    ABSTRACT This experiment was conducted to evaluate the degradation kinetics and microbial efficiency of beef cattle grazing on low-quality forage and receiving supplements with different levels of rumen undegradable protein (RUP). The animals grazed on palisade grass pasture solely or this pasture and supplement containing 40 or 60 g of RUP per 100 g of crude protein (CP). The degradation profiles of neutral detergent fiber, fiber carbohydrates, and neutral detergent insoluble protein were interpreted kinetically by using a decreasing logistic model. Treatments (no supplement, or RUP at 40 or 60 g−1 100 g CP) did not affect rumen fill; however, the increase in the indigestible fiber carbohydrate fraction that occurred at the expense of the digestible fiber carbohydrate fraction resulted in a greater rumen fill effect. The palisade grass showed a significant proportion of its nitrogen in the form of slowly degradable protein as neutral detergent insoluble protein, which amounted to 26 g per 100 g CP. Supplementation with 40 g of RUP per 100 g CP decresead the indigestible fraction of the low-quality forage. However, the absence of a rumen-fill effect demonstrates that the additional supply of nutrients contributes greatly to increasing growth efficiency and use of the available energy from the forage by the ruminal microorganisms.
  • Performance and metabolite profile of dairy cows fed tropical grasses and concentrates containing crude protein with low or high degradability Ruminants

    Gomes, Raphael dos Santos; Oliveira, Tadeu Silva de; Pereira, José Carlos; Vieira, Ricardo Augusto Mendonça; Henrique, Douglas Sampaio; Fernandes, Alberto Magno; Leonel, Fernando de Paula

    Resumo em Inglês:

    ABSTRACT Ten Holstein-Zebu crossbred cows distributed into two simultaneous Latin squares (5 × 5) as a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement formed by chopped sugarcane or elephant grass silage, both with high or low protein degradability supplements and a corn silage as a control treatment, were compared using orthogonal contrasts. The studied variables were the performance, plasma concentrations of urea-N, glucose, and creatinine, urine-N and milk urea-N, and the nychthemeral variation in NH3-N in the rumen fluid of dairy cows. Nutrient intake, milk production, and milk composition were affected by the treatments. The total mixed ration containing elephant grass silage combined with rumen undegradable protein (RUP) provided balanced amounts of carbon and nitrogen in the rumen. This effect may explain the 18% increase in milk yield compared with the other treatments. The diurnal pattern of ruminal NH3-N was interpreted with a sinusoid model. In general, cows fed elephant grass silage exhibited higher concentrations of blood plasma and milk urea-N than animals fed sugarcane. The cows that consumed elephant grass silage with rumen degradable protein concentrate showed a higher milk urea-N compared with animals that consumed elephant grass silage with the RUP concentrate. The use of diets based on corn silage leads to a better use of nitrogen compounds because these diets resulted in lower levels of urea-N in the plasma, urine, and milk at the same level of milk production compared with diets containing elephant grass silage or chopped sugarcane as roughages. In sugarcane-based diets, even greater nitrogen losses in the urine are observed, despite the presence of readily fermentable carbohydrates in the diet.
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