Eduardo Bohrer de Azevedo

Faecal index to estimate intake and digestibility in grazing sheep

SUMMARY The current research was carried out to evaluate the use of crude protein and fibre components in faeces for estimating intake and digestibility in sheep fed with pearl millet (Pennisetum americanum (L.) Leeke). The equations were developed from four trials in metabolism cages with 16 sheep in each trial. Eachanimal received a different quantityof millet leaves in the diet: 0·015, 0·020 and 0·025 dry matter (DM) as a proportion of liveweight (LW) and ad libitum with at least 0·2 of daily feed refusals. Organic matter intake (OMI, g/day) was measured, through the difference between offer and refusals; total faeces were collected for 5 days, which was used to determine faecal crude protein (CPf, g/day and g/kg of organic matter (OM)), faecal neutral detergent fibre (NDFf, g/day and g/kg OM), faecal acid detergent fibre (ADFf, g/day and g/kg OM) and OM digestibility (OMD). Linear regression equations were calculated to determine the relationship between OMI and CPf (P<0·001, R 2 =0·90, relative prediction error (RPE=14·02%). A multiple linear equation was generated for OMI including CPf and NDFf (P<0·001, R 2 =0·94; RPE=9·25%). Hyperbolic (single and multiple) and exponential models were tested to estimate OMD, where the hyperbolic multiple model including CPf and NDFf showed lower RPE (3·90%). These equationsforestimatingOMIandOMDwereevaluatedonsheepgrazingP.americanumfertilized withincreasing levels of nitrogen (N) (50, 100, 200 and 400 kg N/ha), comparing measured and estimated OMI. The intake estimated by multiple regression (CP and NDFf) showed a higher R 2 (0·98) and lower RPE (5·25%) than the simple (CPf only) linear equation (R 2 =0·94; RPE=20·45%). The results demonstrated the feasibility of using the faecal index generated in metabolism cages for estimating intake and digestibility in sheep grazing P. americanum.

Poder germinativo de sementes de capim-annoni-2 (Eragrostis plana Ness) recuperadas em fezes de bovinos

This work was carried out with the objective of evaluating the effect of the bovine digestion process on the germination capacity of the capim-annoni-2 (Eragrostisplana Ness) seeds recovered in feces. The seeds (6 g, 27,273 seeds) were placed in a ruminal ventral sack of eight fistulated steers kept in pen trial. Forthy-three percent of the offered seeds were recovered in the feces. Seeds recovered in the first three days corresponded to 97.2% of the offered seeds. Only 7.2% of the recovered seeds germinated and represented 3.1% of the offered seeds. The permanence time in the digestive trait was the main cause for the disappearance of consumed seeds and for the loss in their germination capacity. The absence of capim-annoni-2 seeds in the feces occurs in the eighth day after ingestion, then, bovines should be kept in quarantine for seven days in an area free of capim-annoni-2 seeds to clean their digestive trait.

Incorporação de uréia encapsulada em suplementos protéicos fornecidos para novilhos alimentados com feno de baixa qualidade

A trial was accomplished with the objective to verify the effect of the coated or common urea supplementation on the utilization of low quality hay in steers. The treatments were: hay + mineral supplement; hay + protein supplement with common urea; hay + protein supplement with coated urea formula 1; hay + protein supplement with coated urea formula 2. Tifton (Cynodon dactylon L.) hay of low quality (CP: 4.62%, NDF: 83.46%) was used. The measures were: digestibility, intake and digestive kinetics. The relation between degradable intake protein and digestible organic mater intake was highest (P 0.05) when compared the supplemented or not supplemented diets with DIP and in the same way, when compared the non-protein nitrogen sources. The ruminal degradable protein supplementation was not effective for modifying the studied parameters, as well as, the coated urea sources showed to be similar to the common urea.

Corn plant arrangement and its effect on silage quality

This experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of the row spacing between corn plants on silage quality. Different spacing between corn rows (40, 60, and 80 cm) was used, but the population of plants was maintained around 65,000/ha in all treatments. Analysis of variance was carried out and means were compared by Tukeys test at 5% of probability. A reduction in row spacing provided better spatial distribution of plants, but did not alter morphological composition or dry matter production. The corn with most equidistant spatial distribution (lowest row spacing) showed an increase in lignin concentration, neutral detergent fiber, and total carbohydrates, and showed a decrease in total digestible nutrients when compared with 80 cm row spacing. However, the organic digestibility matter was not affected by the treatments. The content and quality of protein were higher for 80 cm row spacing compared with the other levels; also, protein content was reduced as the spacing between rows became smaller. The only mineral affected was calcium, which had the lowest value at higher levels of spacing. Although differences were detected for many variables, the most appropriate spacing between rows should also take into account economic and practical aspects when choosing the best plant arrangement.