Higor Fábio Carvalho Bezerra

Carcass characteristics of lambs fed diets containing silage of different genotypes of sorghum

Thirty-five feedlot lambs (without defined breed, aged between 5 and 7 months, with average live weight of 17.7±3.7 kg) were used in a completely randomized design to evaluate the effect of diets containing different genotypes of sorghum on morphometric measurements and qualitative characteristics of carcass and yields of primal cuts. The animals stayed in individual indoor pens for 42 days and slaughtered at an average weight of 26.24 kg. No significant differences were observed on morphometric measurements, hot (11.67 kg) and cold (11.39 kg) carcass weight, hot (44.46%) and cold (43.37%) carcass yields, biological yield and on cooling losses. There was also no significant effect of silages of different genotypes of sorghum on the weights and yields of retail cuts (neck, shoulder, rib, loin and leg) and on the subjective evaluation of carcasses. It is possible to finish sheep without defined breed feeding them diets based on silages of sorghum, resulting in carcasses with high yield and good conformation.

Agronomic Evaluation of Sorghum Hybrids for Silage Production Cultivated in Semiarid Conditions

The aim of this study was to study the agronomic traits of different Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench hybrids for silage productionin semiarid conditions. It was a 1-year evaluation conducted in a randomized block design with 24 treatments and three replicates. The treatments were sorghum hybrids developed by the breeding program of “Embrapa Milho e Sorgo” (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation). The fresh matter yield (FMY) in the first cut varied from 22,643.56 to 44,033.15 kg/ha, with an average of 32,607.37 kg/ha, leading to the formation of two groups. Similar results were observed for the dry matter yield (DMY), in which the highest group yielded from 9,471.32 to 14,540.23 kg/ha dry matter (DM). For plant regrowth, there was an increase in the number of stems and a decrease in the amount of panicles. Two groups were formed for the accumulated dry matter yield (ADMY), averaging 14,217.91 kg/ha; the highest group showed mean values of 18,003.00 to 14,221.94 kg/ha. The evaluated sorghum hybrids exhibited satisfactory accumulated forage yields due to their high yield in regrowth, which indicates that they are suitable for use in animal production systems in semi-arid regions.

Degradabilidade ruminal in situ de silagens de capim-elefante aditivadas com farelo de milho e inoculante da microbiota autóctone

This study aimed to evaluate the in situ degradability of dry matter, crude protein and neutral detergent fiber of elephant grass silage with corn bran and inoculation of autochthonous microbiota. For the silages used a 4 x 2 factorial arrangement (four levels of corn bran - 0, 5, 10 and 20dag/kg x with and without inoculation) and five replications, in a completely randomized design. In degradability trial, the experimental design was a randomized block, split plot in which three animals represented the blocks; silages represent the treatments, and the seven incubation times of food in the rumen (0, 6, 12, 24, 48, 96 and 144 hours), the subplots. With the addition of corn bran was increase the soluble fraction in the silages, and so treatments with 20dag/kg of corn bran resulted in higher values of the soluble fraction of the dry matter, 31.49 and 29.02%, for treatments with and without inoculant, respectively. The insoluble potentially degradable fraction of dry matter was higher in silages with 20 dag/kg of corn bran. In neutral detergent fiber, higher values of insoluble potentially degradable fraction were observed in the silage without corn bran, 56.52 and 57.19%, respectively, in the silages with and without inoculation of autochthonous microbiota. The addition of corn bran of elephant improves dry matter degradability of silages and decreases of neutral detergent fiber.

Elephant grass ensiled with wheat bran compared with corn silage in diets for lactating goats

The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of wheat bran as an additive in elephant-grass silage on intake and digestibility of the nutrients, ingestive behavior, and yield and chemical composition of milk. Eight goats with 45 days of lactation were distributed in a (4 × 4) Latin square design.The treatments consisted of corn silage (CS), elephant-grass silage without wheat bran (EGS), elephant-grass silage with 10% wheat bran (EGS+10%WB), and elephant-grass silage with 20% wheat bran (EGS+20% WB). There was no difference in dry matter (DM) intake between diets EGS and CS in g d−1. However, the animals fed EGS+10%WB had lower DM and organic matter (OM) intakes than the animals fed CS in g kg−1 d−1 of body weight. There were lower non-fiber carbohydrate and metabolize energy intakes by animals fed diets based on elephant-grass silages than those fed CS. The EGS+20%WB diet provided lower digestibility coefficients of DM, OM, crude protein, ether extract, neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and digestible nutrients of the diet than the diet with CS. The NDF digestibility coefficient with diet EGS was greater than that obtained with diet CS. The diets with corn and elephant-grass silages provided similar milk yield levels. However, the animals fed diets based on EGS+20% WB produced less total-solids-corrected milk than the animals fed CS. No difference was found in the milk physicochemical properties and ingestive behavior of goats in this study. Corn silage can be replaced by elephant-grass silage harvested at 50 days of regrowth and elephant-grass silage with 10% wheat bran without influencing goat performance, behavioral variables, physiological variables, milk yield or the milk physicochemical properties.

Silages of pearl millet submitted to nitrogen fertilization

This study aimed to evaluate the fermentation characteristics, losses and the chemical composition of two pearl millet genotypes silages submitted to nitrogen fertilization. The experimental design was a completely randomized blocks in a split plot scheme 2x5 (two nitrogen genotypes doses x five doses of nitrogen), with four replicates. Nitrogen doses were 0, 20, 40, 60, 80kg ha-1 and the pearl millet genotypes were the variety ADR300 and the hybrid ADR7010. The hybrid ADR 7010 showed average lactic acid content higher than the variety ADR 300, at all doses of N, recording values ranging from 4.09 to 10.46dag kg-1. There was an interaction between nitrogren doses and genotypes for the neutral detergent fiber, which ranged from 51.81 to 63.63dag kg-1 of dry matter. Dry matter recovery decreased linearly with increasing nitrogen doses only for hybrid ADR7010, the same did not happen for the ADR300. The nitrogen fertilization does not favor the fermentation characteristics and increases DM losses of the hybrid ADR7010.

Avaliação de fenos de capim-buffel colhido em diferentes alturas de corte

This study aimed to evaluate the forage yield, chemical composition and dry matter recovery of buffel grass hay (Cenchrus ciliaris L.), at different cutting heights. The experiment was conducted at the Estacao Experimental Pendencia of Empresa Estadual de Pesquisa Agropecuaria da Paraiba S.A (EMEPA), located in city of Soledade-PB. A randomized complete block design was used, with four cutting heights (30; 40; 50 and 60cm) with five replicates. The forage yield had effect with a linear increase in values achieving dry matter yield 7206.78kg/ha for 60cm height. There was harvesting height effect for leaf, stem and leaf:stem ratio in dry matter, wherein the values of leaf:stem ratio decreased with increasing harvesting height, getting values of 0.87 to 0.48 when harvested at 30 and 60cm height, respectively. Quadratic effect was observed in harvesting height only to the neutral detergent fiber, with contents ranging from 71.82 to 77.08% in dry matter. The average values of dry matter of hay were between 82.44 and 84.48%. The dry matter recovery in dehydration decreased in function of harvesting heights, showing linear behavior, with the smallest average observed for the grass to 60cm (76.58%). The absence of variation in the bromatological constituents and dry matter final losses and higher biomass production in the highest cutting harvest may conclude that buffel grass is to be harvested in the cutting height that enable greater production.

Avaliação de genótipos de milheto para silagem no semiárido

The objective of this research was to evaluate the forage yield, agronomic characteristics and morphometric plants and losses, fermentation and chemical composition of silages of pearl millet genotypes. To evaluate the agronomic and morphometric characteristics of genotypes it was used the randomized blocks experimental design with five replicates. In the phase of silos evaluation the design has become completely randomized design with four replications. Cultivars tested were Sauna B, CMS 01, ADR 500, BRS 1501 and CMS 03. There was no difference for PFF, DMP and DM. The pearl millet genotypes had a average PMV of 9073 kg/ha in the first cycle and 10.054kg/ha in the regrowth. As to the leaf and stem production there was not difference in both cuts. The concentration of AL ranged from 1.98 to 5.17% for genotypes B and CMS SAUNA 01, respectively. For the crude protein there was a significant effect among genotypes studied, with values ranging from 11.56 to 7.90%. The genotypes studied were equivalent in both the evaluation of the plants and the evaluation of silage, which can be used as an alternative fodder in semiarid regions.

Divergence of the fermentative and bromatological characteristics of 25 sorghum hybrid silages

The objective of this study was to evaluate the divergence of bromatological and fermentative characteristics of silages of 25 sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) hybrids. The experimental design was completely randomized with 25 treatments and four replications. The mean values of pH differed with variation from 3.45 to 3.87 for hybrids 866005 and 870051, respectively, and the mean pH value was 3.66. The average percentage of lactic acid ranged from 2.90 to 7.43 dag/kg of dry matter (DM) in hybrids 870035 and 866005, respectively, with an average of 4.65 dag/kg DM. Through cluster analysis by the Tocher method and average Euclidean distance based on the fermentative characteristics, five groups were formed: one with 18 hybrids, another with four and three groups with one hybrid in each. In group three, there were the hybrids that showed the highest values of lactic acid. Hybrids 870025, 870035, 870081, 870095, 866034, and 870031 showed higher DM content and the hybrid BRS 610 had the lowest average compared with the others. Hybrids 1F305, BRS 610, Volumax, and XBS60329 had the lowest levels of non-fiber carbohydrates and higher neutral detergent fiber corrected for ash and protein. Despite the fermentative and bromatological divergences between hybrids, they are not a limiting factor to silage production.

Efeito da adubação orgânica e altura de resíduo sobre a produção de fitomassa do capim-buffel

The objective of this work was to evaluate effect of organic fertilization levels using goat manure and two stubble heights, on the biomass production of buffel grass. We used a split plot in a randomized complete block design with five replications. The plots consisted of doses of goat manure (0; 5,;10, 15 and 20t/ha) and the subplots consisted of two heights of residue (10 and 20cm). In the production of green matter of buffel grass, had effect, as well as an interaction effect between stubble heights and fertilization. With respect to dry matter production of buffel grass, there was also an effect of stubble heights, fertilizer and cut time, and there were differences between heights only when the grass to received 10 and 20t/ha doses organic fertilizer. The total accumulation of stem showed a linear increase, using doses of fertilizer when the grass was harvested at the height of 10cm, without adjustments even when the templates were harvested at 20cm. There was a linear increase accumulation of liquid at the height of 10cm as the higher doses of fertilizer. The organic fertilization increases the biomass production of buffel grass is cut when the height of 10cm residue.

Fenos de capim-buffel amonizados com ureia

Objetivou-se quantificar a populacao de mofos e leveduras, avaliar as perdas de materia seca e a composicao bromatologica de fenos de capim-buffel amonizados com ureia. Utilizou-se um delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com cinco tratamentos e cinco repeticoes. Os tratamentos compreenderam aos niveis de ureia (0; 0,5; 1,0; 2,0; 4,0%), que foram adicionados aos fardos de feno com base na materia seca. A inclusao de 1,0% de ureia elevou a recuperacao de materia seca (93,21%) em relacao ao feno nao amonizado. Observou-se efeito quadratico para o pH, com o maior valor observado no nivel de 0,5% de ureia (8,88), reduzindo nos demais niveis de ureia. A adicao de niveis de ureia foi eficiente em reduzir a populacao de mofos e leveduras, reduzindo de 6,50 log UFC/g no feno sem tratamento com ureia para 3,65 log UFC/g quando adicionados 4% de ureia no feno. A adicao de ureia proporcionou aumento nos teores de materia orgânica e proteina bruta dos fenos de capim-buffel, atingindo os maiores valores com a utilizacao de 4,0% de ureia, com 90,96% e 14,03% para materia orgânica e proteina bruta, respectivamente. A aplicacao de ureia nao proporciona diminuicao em relacao as perdas de materia seca, exceto na dose de 1,0%, no entanto, e eficiente em reduzir a populacao de mofos e leveduras e elevar os teores de proteina bruta de fenos de capim-buffel. Palavras-chave: Aditivos. Amonizacao. Cenchrus ciliaris. Conservacao de forragens. Mofos e leveduras.