Juliana Paula Felipe de Oliveira

Performance of lambs fed alternative protein sources to soybean meal

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of alternative protein sources (castor bean cake, sunflower cake, and sunflower seed) to soybean meal on the intake and performance of 40 lambs, initially weighing 19.8±1.84 kg, fed diets based on Tifton grass hay. The experimental design was completely randomized blocks. There were no differences in the nutrient intake of castor bean diets compared with soybean meal. The intake of nutrients in the sunflower cake and sunflower seed diets was decreased compared with soybean meal. The apparent digestibility coefficients of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, and neutral detergent fiber of sunflower cake and sunflower seed diets were decreased compared with soybean meal. The average daily weight gain of animals fed the castor bean diet (0.190 kg) was not different from that of the animals fed the soybean meal diet (0.217 kg). The sunflower cake and sunflower seed diets provided less weight gain (0.171 and 0.135 kg d-1, respectively) than soybean meal due to the lower nutrient intake. The hot carcass yield and true yield were not affected by the protein sources. The neck, ribs, and ham weights were similar in lambs fed soybean meal and castor bean cake diets. It is recommended to use castor bean as an alternative protein source in the diet of lambs.

Carcass characteristics in Santa Inês sheep fed with mazoferm as a substitution for soybean meal

Objetivou-se avaliar as caracteristicas de carcaca de ovinos da raca Santa Ines alimentados com mazoferm em substituicao ao farelo de soja (0,0; 33,0; 66,0 e 100,0%). Foram utilizados 32 animais machos, nao castrados, com peso medio inicial de 21 ± 2,3 kg e idade media de quatro meses, distribuidos em delineamento de blocos casualizados e abatidos apos 70 dias de confinamento. Nao foi observado efeito da substituicao sobre os consumos de materia seca (1,103 kg/dia) e NDT (0,74 kg/dia), porem o consumo de proteina bruta apresentou comportamento linear decrescente (Y = 0,172 - 0,0002x). O desempenho e o peso corporal ao abate (34,10 kg) tambem nao foram influenciados pela substituicao fazendo com que os parâmetros peso do corpo vazio (28,49 kg), peso de carcaca quente (16,05 kg) e fria (15,56 kg), rendimento de carcaca quente (47,00 kg), rendimento comercial (45,54 kg) e rendimento biologico (56,29 kg) apresentassem o mesmo comportamento. Alem desses parâmetros, a espessura de gordura de cobertura, perda de peso por resfriamento, area de olho de lombo (1,56 mm, 3,11%, 12,16 cm2, respectivamente), pesos e rendimentos dos cortes comerciais perna e as medidas morfometricas da carcaca, indices de compacidade da carcaca (0,24 kg/cm) e da perna (0,36 cm/cm) tambem nao foram influenciados. Recomenda-se a substituicao do farelo de soja pelo mazoferm tendo em vista que o mesmo nao altera as caracteristicas de carcaca de ovinos Santa Ines.

Carcass characteristics of lambs fed spineless cactus as a replacement for sugarcane

Objective Fresh sugarcane has been a new roughage source for ruminant’s in semiarid regions, a function of the decline of sugar and alcohol industry in recent years. However, there is little data published regarding lambs fed sugarcane associated with spineless cactus. This study evaluated the effect of sugarcane replacement with spineless cactus (0%, 33%, 66%, and 100%) in the diet of Santa Inês lambs on carcass characteristics. Methods Thirty-six non-castrated Santa Ines lambs at four months of age and an initial body weight of 22±2.3 kg were assigned in a randomized block design and slaughtered after 70 days of confinement. The effects of spineless cactus as a replacement for sugarcane in the diet of the lambs on the carcass characteristics, commercial cut weight and yield, leg tissue composition, and carcass measurements were studied. Results The study revealed quadratic behavior in slaughter body weight, and hot and cold carcass weight, with maximum values of 38.60, 18.60, and 18.11 kg and replacement levels of 40.18%, 44.42%, and 43.14%, respectively. The cold carcass yield presented an increasing linear behavior. The compactness index of carcass and leg presented a quadratic effect, with estimated maximal values of 0.28 and 0.57 kg/cm and replacement levels of 43.37% and 45.5%, respectively. The weights of commercial cuts of leg, loin, shoulder, and breast showed quadratic behavior, with maximum values of 2.79, 0.852, 1.46, and 1.30 kg and replacement levels of 49.5, 45.32, 39.0, and 40.7, respectively. For tissue composition, quadratic behavior was verified for leg weight, subcutaneous fat, and total fat. Conclusion The replacement of sugarcane by spineless cactus at level 44% is recommended for finishing lambs considering that this level improved most of the carcass characteristics, weights, and yields of commercial cuts and leg tissue composition.