Arturo Bernardo Selaive Villarroel

Intake, apparent digestibility and ingestion behavior in Holstein steers fed diets containing Tifton 85 hay with different particle sizes.

The intake, the apparent digestibility of nutrients and the ingestion behavior of four Holstein steers with average weight of 300 kg and 20 months of age, receiving diets containing Tifton 85 hay with different particle sizes (5, 7, 10 mm and whole) were evaluated. A 4 × 4 Latin square experimental design with four steers and four periods was used. Intakes of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, ether extract, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, total carbohydrates and non-structural carbohydrates were not influenced by the different granulometric profiles of the experimental diets. The DM digestibility were different between diets with particles size of 7 and 10 mm (67.31 and 54.95%, respectively). However, these diets were similar to that with 5 mm of particle size and whole hay, which showed intermediate values, with mean of 63.62%. The total feeding time of the animals that received diets with particles size of 7, 10 mm and whole did not differ. The Tifton 85 hay with different particles size did not affect the intake, digestibility of nutrients and the ingestion behavior of Holstein steers fed total mixed ration.

Effects of weaning age and weight on lamb growth rate of Morada Nova breed raised in a tropical extensive production system

The aim of this research were to study the effect of weaning age and weight on post-growing rate (PWG) and to estimate the optimal weaning age (WA) and weight (WW) of Morada Nova-white variety breed lambs raised under extensive system conditions. A total of 31 male and female lambs were evaluated, being 19 lambs born in April/May 2001 and 12 lambs born in February/March 2002. Lambs were distributed in the following treatments at weaning: 1) weaning age = T1: weaned at 60 days; T2: weaned at 75 days; T3: weaned at 90 days, and 2) weaning weight = T1: weaned with 9 to 10.4kg weigth; T2: weaned with 10.5 to 12.4kg weight and T3: weaned with above 12.5kg weight. The PWG was recorded through successive weightings done every fourteen days from weaning to 180 days of age. Data were analysed through a statistical model that included age and weight at weaning, sex and year of birth as fixed effects. Lambs weaned with 60, 75 and 90 days of age showed non-significant differences (P>0.05) on PWG. However, WW had a significant influence (P<0.05) on lamb weight. The group weaned with 9-10.4kg had smaller live weight than those weaned with 10.5-12.4kg or above 12.5kg. No differences were found between these last two groups. Also, sex had significant effect (P<0.05) on lamb growing with males being heavier than females (20.7kg and 17.6kg, respectively). Year of birth did not affect PWG. It was concluded that weight at weaning is more important than age at weaning on post-weaning growing of lambs. The most efficient live weaning weight on white Morada Nova lambs raised in extensive system production is over 10.5kg.

Composição corporal e exigências líquidas proteicas de ovinos Santa Inês em crescimento

This study evaluated the effect of different dietary levels of metabolizable energy on the body composition and net protein requirements of 24 Santa Ines non-castrated growing sheep at average age of 50 days and average body weight of 13.00 ± 0.56 kg. After a ten-day adaptation period, four animals were slaughtered to be used as a reference for estimates of empty body weight (EBW) and initial body composition of the other animals. The remaining animals were assigned into a randomized block design with diets containg different levels of metabolizable energy (2.08; 2.28; 2.47 and 2.69 Mcal/kg of DM) and crude protein (12.74; 14.36, 15.97 and 17.65% CP of DM) with five replicates. The N daily excretion was estimated by extrapolating regression equations of N intake (g/kg BW0.75/day) in function of retention (g/kg BW0.75/day) for zero intake. The derivative regression of the logarithm of protein content in function of the logarithm of EBW enabled the estimation of net protein requirement for empty body weight gain (EBWG). Daily nitrogen excretion was 277 ± 0.05 mg/kg BW0.75/day and net protein requirement for maintenance was 1.73 g/kg BW0.75/day. Protein content of EBW of animals decreased from 157.83 to 144.33 g/kg of EBW when the BW of the animals increased from 15 to 30 kg, respectively. The amount of protein deposited in the gain decreased from 137.47 to 125.71 g/kg of EBWG with the increase of body weight of the animals from 15 to 30 kg, respectively. Nitrogen fecal excretion and protein net requirement for maintenance of Santa Ines growing lambs was lower than the values commonly cited by the main systems of feed evaluation and nutrient requirements for small ruminants.

Características físico-mecânicas do couro de ovinos mestiços Santa Inês e Texel

Objetivou-se, neste estudo, avaliar as caracteristicas fisico-mecânicas de couros de ovinos mesticos F1 provenientes de cruzamentos de ovelhas deslanadas sem raca definida (SRD) com carneiros das racas lanada Texel (TE) e deslanada Santa Ines (SI). Foram avaliadas 22 peles de borregos abatidos com idade media de 240 dias e peso corporal de 21,93 ± 4,38 e 20,91 ± 3,40 kg, respectivamente, para os mesticos de TE e SI. Apos a esfola, as peles foram pesadas, conservadas por salmouragem e salga e avaliadas no curtume. Inicialmente, foram curtidas ao cromo-estagio de wet blue e, posteriormente, dos couros semi-acabados, foram retirados do lado direito corpos-de-prova nas posicoes paralela e perpendicular ao eixo crânio-caudal das regioes paleta, anca e ventre, para a determinacao dos ensaios fisico-mecânicos de resistencia a tracao e ao rasgamento progressivo. O delineamento experimental para analises dos dados foi o de parcelas subdivididas, tendo como parcelas dois grupos geneticos e como subparcelas o fatorial 2 x 3 (duas posicoes e tres regioes), com tres repeticoes, sendo os valores medios comparados pelo teste de Tukey. Os couros dos ovinos deslanados mesticos SI apresentaram maior resistencia aos ensaios de tracao e rasgamento progressivo que o couros dos animais mesticos Texel, havendo, em ambos os grupos, diferencas significativas de espessura e resistencia entre as diferentes regioes dos couros estudados. Concluiu-se que os couros oriundos do cruzamento do ovino lanado Texel com ovelhas SRD apresentam menor qualidade industrial que os couros de animais mesticos deslanados Santa Ines.

Efficiency of metabolizable energy utilization for maintenance and gain and evaluation of Small Ruminant Nutrition System model in Santa Ines sheep

This study was carried out to estimate efficiencies of the utilization of metabolizable energy for maintenance (km) and weight gain (kg) and to evaluate the Small Ruminant Nutrition System (SRNS) model in predicting dry matter intake and average daily gain of growing Santa Ines sheep. Twenty-four non-castrated Santa Ines sheep, at 50 days of age and with average body weight of 13.00 ± 0.56 kg, respectively, were used. After a 10-day adaptation period, four animals were slaughtered to be used as reference for estimating initial empty body weight and body composition of the other animals. The remaining animals were distributed in a random block design, with the treatments consisting of diets containing different levels of metabolizable energy (2.08, 2.28, 2.47 and 2.69 Mcal/kg of DM), with five replicates. The metabolizable energy use efficiencies for maintenance and for weight gain were calculated from the relationship between the dietary net energy for maintenance and gain and ME concentration in the diets. Evaluation of the SRNS model was performed by adjustment of simple linear regression model between the predicted (independent variable) and observed (dependent variable) values. The estimated energy use efficiency for maintenance (km) was 0.70; and for gain weight (kg) it showed to be inversely proportional to the increase of metabolizable energy concentration in the diet. The dry matter intake predicted by the SRNS model did not statistically differ from that observed, but the model overestimated the average daily gain by 5.18%. Those results can contribute to the construction of a database, which could be condensed into several others in a predictive model of performance and feed planning for sheep reared in Brazil.

Ganho de peso e rendimento de carcaça de cordeiros mestiços Texel e Santa Inês x SRD em sistema de manejo semi intensivo

A research was conducted at the Experimental Field Station Vale do Curu of the Federal University of Ceará to evaluate the growth rate and carcass traits of crossbred lambs born from crioula tropical hair ewes (SRD) mated with Texel and Santa Ines rams. 33 lambs being 17 crossbred Texel X SRD ( eigth entire male lambs and seven female lambs) and 16 crossbred Santa Inês X SRD (11 entire male lambs and five female lambs) were studied. Lambs were weaned at 90 days old and were raised in a semi-intensive system production. Crossbred Texel lambs were sheared before slaugther. Growth rate was studied by measuring the live bodyweight each 15 days from born to eigth months old, age estimated as good to slaughter the male lambs. The weigth and carcass yield were evaluated. Data analyses show that the crossbred Texel lambs have better growing performance and higher daily weigth gain than Santa Inês crossbred lambs, but significant differences of sire breed were not detected in the hot and cold carcass yield. It was concluded that crossbreeding of crioula tropical hair ewes with Texel rams may be beneficial for growth performance of lambs in a industrial breeding programme. More studies are necessary to evaluate the effect of wool on sheep raising on tropical condition.Com o trabalho teve-se o objetivo de avaliar o ganho de peso e as caracteristicas de carcaca de cordeiros mesticos oriundos do cruzamento de carneiros da raca lanada Texel e deslanada Santa Ines com ovelhas deslanadas sem padrao racial definido-SRD. Foram avaliados 33 cordeiros de ambos os sexos, sendo 17 cordeiros mesticos Texel x SRD (8 machos inteiros e 7 femeas e 16 mesticos Santa Ines x SRD (11 machos inteiros e 5 femeas). Os cordeiros foram desmamados em media com 90 dias de idade e 11,5 kg de peso vivo e mantidos juntos em sistema de manejo semi-intensivo. O ganho de peso foi estimado atraves de pesagens periodicas a cada 15 dias, do nascimento ate os oito meses de idade, periodo estimado para o abate dos machos. Os cordeiros mesticos Texel foram tosados ao final do experimento para a retirada da la afim de evitar a influencia desta no peso e rendimento da carcaca. A analises dos dados mostraram que os cordeiros mesticos Texel apresentaram maiores pesos corporais ao nascimento e aos oito meses de idade, com ganhos de peso diario significativamente superior (P< 0,05) do desmame ao peso final. O peso final dos cordeiros mesticos Texel foi de 23,70 ± 3,8 kg e dos Santa Ines de 20,7 ± 2,2 kg com ganhos medios diarios, do nascimento ate o peso final, de 83 e 72 g, respectivamente, valores inferiores ao esperado em ambos grupos geneticos. Embora tenha sido obtido um maior peso corporal dos cordeiros mesticos Texel ao abate, nao houve influencia do genotipo nos rendimentos de carcaca quente e fria dos animais. Conclui-se que a utilizacao de carneiros da raca Texel em cruzamento com femeas deslanadas SRD na regiao nordeste do Brasil, resulta em maiores ganhos de peso de suas crias, quando comparado com os da raca local Santa Ines, porem, nao ha efeito do genotipo no rendimento da carcaca dos animais. Desta forma, o uso de reprodutores lanados com ovelhas deslanadas, nas condicoes em que foram feitas as observacoes, pode se justificar somente em cruzamento terminal ou industrial e com ovelhas SRD. Maiores estudos devem ser realizados para avaliar o efeito da prducao de la sobre o desempenho dos animais nas condicoes de clima do Nordeste.

Replacement of goat milk for cattle cheese whey in artificial feeding of Alpine kids

The objective of this work was to evaluate the replacement of whole goat milk for cattle cheese whey in the artificial nursing of alpine kids. The animals were distributed in a complete randomized design in a 4 × 2 factorial arrangement made up with four levels of goat milk replacing for cheese whey (0, 15, 30 and 45%) and two sexes (three males and four females per treatment). The inclusion of cheese whey in the diet did not affect the growth of the kids from 7 to 42 days of age. Kids fed whole goat milk showed higher final weights, around 13.0 kg. They intaked 70.0 L/animal of whole goat milk, 172.0 g DM/animal/day of concentrate and they had an average gain of 137.5 g/day. For the kids fed with 15, 30, 45% cheese whey diet, the final weights were 11.1; 9.88 and 10.27 kg; the whole goat milk consumption was 59.5, 49.0 and 38.4 L/animal, the concentrate consumption was 148.0; 117.0 and 135 g DM/animal/day with gains of 122.2; 99.5 and 100.8 g/day, respectively. Food conversion did not differ among diets. The sex effect was evident from the age of 21 days but there was not a treatment × sex interaction. At the end of the work, at 70 days of age, the weight of the males (12.4 kg) was higher than the female weights (10.6 kg). The highest average yield (168.15%) was obtained when the kids received maximum level of whey. Nursing kids with up to 45% of cattle cheese whey is technically viable and increases economic return. However, using whole milk goat for nursing kids in milk cattle is economically unviable.The objective of this work was to evaluate the replacement of whole goat milk for cattle cheese whey in the artificial nursing of alpine kids. The animals were distributed in a complete randomized design in a 4 × 2 factorial arrangement made up with four levels of goat milk replacing for cheese whey (0, 15, 30 and 45%) and two sexes (three males and four females per treatment). The inclusion of cheese whey in the diet did not affect the growth of the kids from 7 to 42 days of age. Kids fed whole goat milk showed higher final weights, around 13.0 kg. They intaked 70.0 L/animal of whole goat milk, 172.0 g DM/animal/day of concentrate and they had an average gain of 137.5 g/day. For the kids fed with 15, 30, 45% cheese whey diet, the final weights were 11.1; 9.88 and 10.27 kg; the whole goat milk consumption was 59.5, 49.0 and 38.4 L/animal, the concentrate consumption was 148.0; 117.0 and 135 g DM/animal/day with gains of 122.2; 99.5 and 100.8 g/day, respectively. Food conversion did not differ among diets. The sex effect was evident from the age of 21 days but there was not a treatment × sex interaction. At the end of the work, at 70 days of age, the weight of the males (12.4 kg) was higher than the female weights (10.6 kg). The highest average yield (168.15%) was obtained when the kids received maximum level of whey. Nursing kids with up to 45% of cattle cheese whey is technically viable and increases economic return. However, using whole milk goat for nursing kids in milk cattle is economically unviable.

Detection of Staphylococcus aureus using the REP-PCR technique to monitor goat milk quality

The objective of the present study was to apply REP-PCR sequences in the monitoring goat milk quality, by detecting Staphylococcus aureus, in samples of from milker hands, goat teats, milk, milking machine and water, for the future establishment and implantation of the system of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP). Several fingerprints were verified of all the isolates collected from the different sources studied (milker hands, goat teats, milk, milking machine and water). Very similar band behaviors were observed that indicated that the isolates can be reported as epidemic clones. Milker´s hands were was characterized as a critical control point (CCP), because it stands out as an initial point of contaminationin the Staphylococcus aureus samples. The technique was shown to be efficient for the similarity analysis among individuals of the Staphylococcus aureus species, and is therefore a useful tool for investigation of management faults and consequently, in the search for more efficient control to prevent or minimize the spread of pathogenic microorganisms that cause serious illnesses in humans and animals that can be transmitted through products such as milk and its products.

Características Físico-Mecânicas do Couro de Caprinos Mestiços Boer e Anglo Nubianos

The physical-mechanic industry characteristics of 22 crossed goat leathers from native does mated with Anglo Nubian (AG) and Boer (BO) bucks were studied to evaluate the leather quality by analysis of tension and tear resistance. Animals were slaughtered at average of 260 days of age and 22.0 kg of live body weigth. After skinning, the pelts were weighed, conserved in brine and salted and classified by quality before the chromium-tanned. To evaluate the tension and tear resistance assays, from the semi-finished leathers, six samples were taken in two directions from palette, hind and ventral regions. A split plot experimental design was used, where the two genetic groups were represented by the plots and a 2 x 3 factorial (two positions and three regions) by the split plots. Means were compared by Tukey test. No difference among groups in tension and tear resistance of leather assays were observed. However, there was a significant difference among samples from the palette, hind and ventral region in all characteristics studied, being thickness, strength and elongation valious higher in palette region. It was concluded that goat leather characteristics are similar for both genetic group and the quality is superior than the industry quality reference for a good product and the use of Boer exotic breed on crossing with native does to improve the meat production do not affect the leather quality of the animals.

Desempenho Reprodutivo de Ovelhas SPRD Acasaladas com Reprodutores de Raças Especializadas para Corte no Estado do Ceará

c aracteristicas reprodutivas e suas correlacoes em ovelhas SPRD acasaladas com reprodutores Santa Ines, Somalis brasileira, Texel e Dorper foram estudadas entre 1995 a 2002, no Ceara. As caracteristicas foram: taxa de fertilidade (F), prolificidade (P), taxa reprodutiva (TR), numero e peso medio dos cordeiros nascidos e desmamados por ovelha exposta (NCN, NCD, PCN e PCD, respectivamente), peso medio da ninhada ao nascimento (PNN) e ao desmame (PND) por ovelha exposta e a taxa de sobrevivencia dos cordeiros ao desmame (TSD). As medias gerais observadas foram: 82,78 + 15,66%, 1,09 + 0,08, 1,47 + 0,21, 1,60 + 0,24, 1,47 + 0,21, 4,93 + 0,52, 18,20 + 1,01, 6,09 + 0,44, 18,78 + 1,07 e 82,40 + 15,81%, respectivamente. A produtividade global da ovelha pode ser obtida por meio do peso medio dos cordeiros ao desmame (PCD ). As correlacoes fenotipicas sinalizam que a melhoria no manejo reprodutivo das femeas pode incrementar o numero de cordeiros viaveis ao nascimento e, consequentemente, ao desmame, aumentando assim, a produtividade global da ovelha.