Karla Alves Magalhães

Determinação do valor energético de alimentos para ruminantes pelo sistema de equações

The objective was to evaluate the equations system for determination of the TDN of six forages (corn silage, sugar cane with 1% urea, coastcross grass hay 1, coastcross grass hay 2, tifton grass haylage and elephant grass) and 12 concentrate feeds (corn grain ground, sorghum grain ground, corn germ, wheat bran, rice bran, babacu meal, soybean meal, cotton meal, cotton seed, corn gluten, corn gluten meal and soybean hull) were determined using sheep as experimental animals. Forages and concentrates feed were combined in two different levels, following a completely randomized design with four repetitions for each level. The same animals were utilized to the two concentrate levels, in two consecutive periods. The diets refering to the two concentrate levels were isonitrogenous. The corn silage, sugar cane with 1% urea, coastcross grass hay 1, coastcross grass hay 2, tifton grass haylage and elephant grass presented, respectively, the following TDN values: 59.56, 60.57, 48.59, 50.24, 60.49 and 49.59%. The concentrate feeds presented the following TDN values: corn grain ground (93.75%), sorghum grain ground (82.82%), corn germ (85.30%), wheat bran (74.28%), rice bran (80.65%), babacu meal (49.38%), soybean meal (83.24%), cotton meal (67.75%), cotton seed (88.07%), corn gluten (85.34%), corn gluten meal (75.61%) and soybean hull (68.95%). The equations system was efficient in determination of the energy value of feed, because the high correlation between those values and the digestibilities of dry matter and organic matter of all feeds evaluated.

Produção de proteína microbiana, concentração plasmática de uréia e excreções de uréia em novilhos alimentados com diferentes níveis de uréia ou casca de algodão

Two trials were conducted to study the effects of different levels of urea or cottonseed hulls on yield of microbial protein, estimated by the urinary excretion of purine derivatives, concentration of plasma urea, and excretion of urea in steers. In the first trial, 24 crossbred castrated steers averaging 300 kg of initial live weight (LW) were uniformly assigned to four treatments in a complete randomized design as follows: 0, 0.65, 1.30, or 1.95% of urea (% of dry matter) that replaced soybean meal in the diet. In the second study, 16 crossbred steers averaging 230 kg of initial LW were uniformly assigned to four treatments in a complete randomized design as follows: 0, 10, 20, or 30% of cottonseed hulls (% of dry matter) that replaced elephant grass silage in the diet. Spot urine samples were obtained and the concentration of purine derivatives (allantoin plus uric acid) determined. Concentrations of creatinine and urea were analyzed in both blood plasma and urine. No significant differences in the urinary concentration of purine derivatives and in the estimation of microbial protein yield were observed by feeding different levels of urea or cottonseed hulls to steers. Similarly, no significant differences in the concentration of plasma urea and in the urinary excretion of urea were found by increasing the proportions of urea in the diet. However, concentration of plasma urea decreased linearly by replacing elephantgrass silage with cottonseed hulls in the second trial. It can be concluded that urea as well as cottonseed hulls can be included up to 1.95 and 30% of the diet dry matter, respectively, with no significant change in the efficiency of microbial protein synthesis.

Exigências nutricionais de zebuínos: minerais

With the objective to determine the macrominerals (Ca, P, Mg, Na, K) requirements of zebu cattle, a trial involving sixteen zebu steers with initial live weight of 270 kg was conducted. Four steers were slaughtered after the adaptation period of the trial, performing the reference group, and the remaining were uniformly allotted to a complete randomized design, in three treatments, with different levels of concentrate in the diets (5, 35, 65 %, in the total dry matter basis). The diets were formulated to be isoproteic. The roughage used was Brachiaria brizantha and Cynodon sp. haylage. The macrominerals contents retained in the body were estimated by regression equations of the logarithm of the macrominerals contents in the body, in function of the logarithm of the empty body weight (EBW). By deriving the prediction equations of macrominerals body content, in function of the logarithm of EBW, it was obtained the net macrominerals requirements for gain of 1 kg EBW, through the equation Y‘= b.10a.Xb-1, being “a” and “b” intercept and the regression coefficient, respectively, of the prediction equations of macrominerals contents in the body. It was observed a decrease in the concentrations of all the macromineral studied in the empty body and in the gain of empty body as the live weight increased. The relationships obtained for g Ca/100g of retained protein and g P/100 g of retained protein were 10.92 and 5.26, respectively.

Validação das equações desenvolvidas por Hankins e Howe para predição da composição da carcaça de zebuínos e desenvolvimento de equações para estimativa da composição corporal

The equations developed by Hankins and Howe were validated in order to predict the physical and chemical carcass composition and equations were developed aiming to estimate the body composition of zebu cattle from the 9-10-11th rib cut composition. Nineteen Zebu steers, with 270 kg of initial live weight (LW) and 2 years old were used. Four were slaughtered in the beginning of the trial, performing the reference group, three were fed to the maintenance level and the remaining were uniformly allotted into three treatments, with different levels of concentrate in the diets (5, 35, 65 %, in the total dry matter basis). Brachiaria brizantha and Cynodon spp haylage were used as the roughage source of the diets. The diets were isonitrogenous and the animals were fed ad libitum. The animals of the reference group and those of the treatments with 5, 35 and 65 % of concentrate were fed for a period of, respectively, 84, 109, 104 and 102 days, after which the animals were slaughtered, with average body weight of 340.25; 360.55 e 374.50 kg, respectively. After slaughter, the right side of all carcasses were totally dissected. The same was done to the 9-10-11th rib cut, obtained from the left sides of carcasses. The physical composition of the carcasses were well predicted by the 9-10-11th rib cut, which chemical composition predicted satisfactorily the contents of protein, water and minerals of the zebu cattle carcasses. The content of fat of the carcasses was overestimated in 7.8%. A regression equation was developed to estimate the percentage of ether extract (EE) of the carcasses, in function of this component in the 9-10-11th rib cut: % EE carcass = 1.0709 + 0.7854 * % EE 9-10-11th rib cut, r2 = 0.97. The empty body chemical composition can be predicted from the chemical composition of the 9-10-11th rib cut, however, more data should be gathered in order to develop equations that would be applicable in a wide range of situations, producing reliable estimates.

Exigências nutricionais de zebuínos: proteína

A trial involving nineteen zebu steers with initial live weight of 270 kg was conducted with the objective of determining their protein requirements. Four steers were slaughtered at the beginning of the trial, compounding the reference group, three were fed at maintenance level and the remaining were uniformly allotted to a complete randomized design, of three treatments, with different levels of concentrate in the diets (5, 35, 65 %, in the total dry matter basis). As roughage was used Brachiaria brizantha and Cynodon sp. haylage. The diets were isonitrogenous and the animals were fed ad libitum. The protein content retained in the body was estimated by a regression equation obtained between the logarithm of the body content of protein and the logarithm of the empty body weight (EBW). The net requirements of protein for 1 kg of empty body gain (EBG) were determined as the derivative of the equation of prediction of protein body content. The protein requirements for gain decreased as the live weight increased. The protein requirement found for an animal of 400 kg of live weight was 106.84 g/kg EBW, while for an animal of 200 kg, was 129.01 g/kg EBW. Considering a steer of 400 kg of live weight, the estimated metabolizable requirements of protein for maintenance (MPm) and gain (MPg) were, respectively, 339.88 and 217.14 g/kg LW. For this type of animal, the daily protein requirements in terms of degradable and undegradable protein were, respectively, 830.86 and 4.46 g. The requirement of crude protein was 835.32 g/d.

Nutritional requirements of zebu cattle: energy

A trial involving nineteen zebu steers with initial live weight of 270 kg were conducted with the objective of determining their energy requirements and the efficiency of utilization of the metabolizable energy for gain (kg) and maintenance (km). Four steers were slaughtered at the beginning of the trial, performing the reference group, three were fed at maintenance level and the remaining were uniformly allotted to a complete randomized design, in three treatments, with different levels of concentrate in the diets [...]

Avaliação da Composição de Vários Alimentos e Determinação da Cinética Ruminal da Proteína, Utilizando o Método de Produção de Gás e Amônia in Vitro

Chemical determinations and kinetics studies of nitrogen compounds of 24 concentrate feedstuffs and 10 grasses were made using the concentrations of soluble nitrogen in TCA and gas production. It was used 200 mL of ruminal fluid and 800 mL of medium for 100 vessels. It was used 1.0 g of trypticase and 0.1 mL of microminerals solution to prepare 400 mL of medium. It was used 0.8 g of ammonium bicarbonate and 7 g of sodium bicarbonate to prepare 200 mL of buffer solution and, to prepare 200 mL of macromineral solution, 1.15 g of Na2HPO4 anhydrous, 1.25 g of KH2PO4 anhydrous and 0.1 g of MgSO4.7H2O were weighed. Reducing solution was prepared with 0.64 g of cysteine-HCL, 0.64 g of sodium sulfide and 4 mL of 1N NaOH. The disappearance of nitrogen compounds of feedstuffs was determined at 6 and 12 hours, where 1.875 mg of N was incubated with 0, 33, 67, 100 mg oh starch, 6 mL of medium, 4 mL of ruminal fluid-medium mixture and 0.1 mL of reducing solution using CO2. Data of degradation rates indicated that corn gluten feed, casein, dry grounded peanut grain, cassava rasp, sorghum silage with or without inoculum, corn silage and honeygrass showed the highest rates of protein degradation and the slowest degradation rates were obtained by sugar cane yeast, feather meal, fish meal, broiler litter using wood rind as adsorvent and signalgrass. Estimates of degradation rates of forage feedstuffs were higher than degradation rates estimated previously by an inhibitor method. It is recommended to use 12 hours for incubation of concentrate feedstuffs and 6 hours for grasses.

Desempenho, composição física e características da carcaça de novilhos alimentados com diferentes níveis de casca de algodão, em confinamento

This trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of feeding different levels of cottonseed hulls on nutrient intake, apparent total tract digestibility, carcass physical composition and traits, and percentage of commercial cuts of confined steers. Eighteen crossbred steers averaging 230 kg of initial body weight (BW) were used. Two animals were slaughtered at the beginning of the trial, performing the reference group while the remaining were uniformly assigned to a complete randomized design in one of four treatments (% of total dry matter): 0, 10, 20 or 30% of cottonseed hulls that replaced elephant grass silage. The forage:concentrate ratio was 60:40. Inclusion of cottonseed hulls in the diet linearly increased the intake of ether extract as well as the intakes of dry matter (DM) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) expressed as a percentage of BW. Conversely, increasing dietary levels of cottonseed hulls did no change carcass physical composition and characteristics and yield of commercial cuts except for FT that increased linearly. Good production parameters were achieved with the highest level of cottonseed hulls in the diet (30%) in the present trial.

Avaliação de Dois Métodos in vitro para Determinar a Cinética Ruminal e a Digestibilidade Intestinal da Proteína de Vários Alimentos

The objective of this work was to evaluate the ruminal disappearance and nitrogen intestinal digestibility of 18 concentrate feedstuffs and four grasses, using an in vitro inhibitor with HCL-pepsin-pancreatin solutions and the three-step method. The disappearance of nitrogen compounds of feedstuffs was determined at 0 and 2 hours using 1.875 mg of N incubated on each three vessels. One of the vessels was submitted to intestinal digestion. On the second method, approximately 5 g of samples were incubated, during 16 hours, in the rumen of a steer fed a diet with 60:40 forage to concentrate ratio. After the incubation period, samples containing 15 mg of residual N were incubated in HCL-pepsin-pancreatin solutions during 25 hours. Data of intestinal digestibility of ruminal undegradable protein was not constant. The inhibitor method was more efficient to evaluate and predict kinetic parameters of ruminal degradation and the three-step method for intestinal digestibility of ruminal undegradable protein.

Determinação da Cinética Ruminal da Proteína de Vários Alimentos Utilizando o Método de Inibidores In Vitro

The objective of this work was to evaluate the kinetics parameters of nitrogen compounds degradation for 24 concentrate feedstuffs and 14 grasses, by means of an inhibitor in vitro method, using a Kjeldahl system. Ruminal fluid from steer fed diet with 60:40 forage to concentrate ratio was used. It was used a 800 mL of ruminal fluid, 2 g of NaHCO3 in 50 mL of distilled water, 3.2 g of pectin in 100 mL of McDougall, 0.234 mL of mercaptoethanol and 0.195 g of hidrazine sulfate in 25 mL of McDougall and 0.045 g of chloramphenicol in 25 mL of McDougall, to prepare 1000 mL of inoculum. It was added 3.2 g of starch, 3.2 g of xylose and 0.16 mL of Antifoam 204 (Sigma Chemical Co. A-6426) to the inoculum. The nitrogen disappearance of feedstuffs was determined at 0 and 2 hours in, approximately, 1.875 mg of N incubated on each vessel. Data of degradation rates indicated that corn gluten feed, casein, dry grounded peanut grain, broiler litter using as adsorvent coffee rind, and cassava rasp showed the highest rates of protein degradation and the slowest degradation rates were obtained with corn meal, meat and bone meal, broiler litter using elephantgrass as adsorvent, sugar cane yeast and feather meal. The degradation parameters were alike as reported in situ. This approach offered a rapid and efficient evaluation of nitrogen degradation kinetic for concentrate feedstuffs. Nitrogen degradation rates of some grasses were underestimated.