Michelle de Oliveira Maia Parente

Intake, Nutrient Apparent Digestibility, and Ruminal Constituents of Crossbred Dorper × Santa Inês Sheep Fed Diets with Babassu Mesocarp Flour

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect on intake, apparent digestibility, and ruminal constituents of sheep in response to the addition of increasing levels of babassu mesocarp flour (BMF) to the diet. Twenty crossbred sheep (29.17 ± 2.23 kg) were used in a randomized complete block design. Lambs were confined for 21 days, with 16 days for diet adaptation and 5 days for data collection, in which they were fed an isonitrogenous diet (16.5 ± 0.2 CP, DM basis) containing 70% of concentrate and 30% (DM basis) of Tifton 85 hay. Increasing levels of BMF were 0, 10, 20, and 30% (DM basis). There was a quadratic effect (P < 0.05) on the DM intake, nutrients intake, and digestibility of CP and NFC. The digestibility of DM, OM, TC, and NDF decreased linearly, while EE digestibility increased linearly with increasing levels of BMF. The high NDF content presented in the chemical composition of the babassu mesocarp flour ranked the same as fibrous food, which can limit the inclusion in the diet of high production animals. So, babassu mesocarp flour is an alternative for energy source in lambs feed and can be added at levels up to 10%.

New insights on the metabolism of ricinoleic acid in ruminants

Dairy goats were fed a total mixed ration with or without the inclusion of castor oil [40 g/kg of dry matter (DM)] to study the metabolism of ricinoleic acid (12-OH,cis-9-18:1). Ten goats, at 39.7 ± 4.0 d in milk, were individually penned and allocated at random to the 2 experimental diets. Goats were manually milked twice a day. Milk fatty acids (FA) were analyzed as methyl esters and hydroxyl groups were derivatized in trimethylsilyl ethers. Apart from ricinoleic acid, 6 FA were only detected in the milk of the castor oil group. Ricinoleic acid composed 0.3% of total FA in milk of the castor oil group, whereas the hydroxy-FA (8-OH-14:0, 10-OH-16:0, and 12-OH-18:0) and oxo-FA (8-oxo-14:0, 10-oxo-16:0, and 12-oxo-18:0) reached 7.5% of total FA in milk. We anticipate that these FA were derived from the metabolism of ricinoleic acid, although it was not clear if they were produced in the rumen or in the tissues. To confirm that, we conducted in vitro batch incubations repeated for 3 consecutive weeks with castor oil (40 g/kg of DM) and strained rumen fluid from 2 fistulated sheep. To examine the products formed over time, incubation tubes were stopped at 0, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h. The results of the in vitro experiment showed that ricinoleic acid was metabolized in the rumen at a slow rate and the main products formed were 12-OH-18:0 and 12-oxo-18:0, by hydrogenation of the cis-9 double bond, followed by oxidation of the hydroxyl group, respectively. Our results suggest that the 12-OH-18:0 and 12-oxo-18:0 escape rumen and are further metabolized through partial β-oxidation in ruminant tissues. We propose that the 10-OH-16:0 and 8-OH-14:0 found in goat milk of the castor oil group are successive products of the β-oxidation of 12-OH-18:0, and the 10-oxo-16:0 and 8-oxo-14:0 are successive products of the 12-oxo-18:0 in tissues. Overall, our results indicate that ricinoleic acid is extensively metabolized in the rumen and tissues, producing mainly oxo- and hydroxy-FA that are further excreted in milk.

Increasing levels of concentrate digestibility, performance and ingestive behavior in lambs

The objectives of this research were to determine the effects increasing levels of concentrate on nutrients digestibility, performance, economic viability of diets and ingestive behavior of lambs. Fifteen crossbred lambs were used in a randomized complete block design according to initial body weight and age. Lambs were penned individually during 55 days, being 10 days for adaptation of diets and 45 days for data collection. The treatments consisted in three isonitrogenous diets with increasing levels of concentrate: 40, 60, or 80%, in dry matter basis. No effect (P>0.05) were observed on dry matter intake, crude protein intake, crude protein digestibility and neutral detergent fiber digestibility, whereas the dry matter digestibility was lower (P<0.01) for lambs fed diets with 40% of concentrate. The addition of 80% concentrate decreased (P<0.05) neutral detergent fiber intake, however this treatment provided higher average daily gain, followed by 60 and 40% of concentrate. In relation to feeding behavior, the animals fed80% concentrate spent more time with feeding (P<0.05) compared to the other treatments. It is concluded that supplementation of concentrate between 60 to 80% improves dry matter digestibility and performance of crossbred lambs without relevant affect dry matter intake and ingestive behavior. A diet with 80% concentrate provides positive gross margin of profit.

Associação entre o óleo de soja e o óleo de peixe na dieta de cabras em lactação como estratégia para melhorar o perfil de ácidos graxos do leite

ABSTRACTThe aims in this experiment were to determine the effects of the association between soybean and fish oils on dry matter intake (DMI) and nutrient intake, body weight change, milk production and composition and milk fatty acid profile of dairy goats. The animals were housed in tie stalls and fed a 50% of coastcross hay and 50% concentrate diet. Nine multiparous crossbred Boer x Saanen goats were assigned in tree 3 X 3 Latin Squares. The experimental period lasted 51 days; divided into three periods of 17 days, being the first nine days used to adapt goats to diets and the 4 other days for data collection. Experimental diets were: a) control diet (CT) without oil; b) control diet supplemented with 3% of soybean oil (SO); and c) control diet supplemented with 2.5% of soybean oil plus 0.5% of fish oil (SO+F). DMI was negatively influenced by oil addition. However, feed efficiency was higher in diets with oils, maintaining similar milk production (P>0.05 for all comparisons). The supply of oils changed milk fatty acids profile (P<0.05), increasing the concentrations of medium and long-chain fatty acids and reducing short-chain. Milk from goats fed the SO+F diet had higher concentration of vaccenic (398%), rumenic acid (352%) and total CLA (341%). The results indicate that the oil supply increased the feed efficiency of goats, and that the combination of soybean and fish oils caused a higher elevation of fatty acids considered to have health benefits.

Fermentation and chemical composition of guinea grass silage added with wheat meal and Streptococcus bovis

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of wheat meal alone or combined with Streptococcus bovis on the fermentation and chemical composition of guinea grass silage. A completely randomised design was used in the following treatments: deionised water, untreated; fresh forage plus 100 g kg−1 of wheat meal; S. bovis JB1 plus 100 g kg−1 of wheat meal; and S. bovis HC5 plus 100 g kg−1 of wheat meal, with six replications. There were a higher number of enterobacteria, moulds and yeast populations in the untreated silage (P < .05) compared to treated silages. The association of S. bovis with wheat meal resulted in lower pH and concentration of NH3-N (P < .05) than silages untreated and treated only with wheat meal. The use of both S. bovis JB1 and HC5 combined with 100 g kg−1 wheat meal can also be a good alternative to farmers for improving the silage quality of guinea grass silage.

Effects of supplementation with vegetable oils, including castor oil, on milk production of ewes and on growth of their lambs1

The objectives in this experiment were to compare the effects of castor oil, canola oil, or sunflower oil on lactation performance, milk composition, and milk fatty acid (FA) profile in Santa Inês ewes and on growth of lambs. Forty-four ewes (66.9 ± 4.7 kg of initial BW, mean ± SD) were penned individually with their lambs and used in a randomized complete block design with 11 blocks and four diets. The experimental diets were as follows: 1) basal diet without added oil (control), 2) 30 g FA/kg DM of canola oil (CAN), 3) 30 g FA/kg DM of sunflower oil (SUN), and 4) 30 g FA/kg DM of castor oil (CAS). The oils were added to a basal diet containing 50% of roughage. Once a week, from the 2nd to 8th wk of lactation, ewes were separated from their lambs, injected with oxytocin, and mechanically milked to empty the udder. After 3 h, using the same procedure, milk production was recorded, and milk was sampled for composition and FA profile determination. The growth of the lambs was monitored weekly. Ewes fed the control diet had greater (P < 0.05) dry matter intake (DMI) than those fed the oil-supplemented diets. No effect was observed on milk yield and on final BW of lambs. Milk fat and milk total solid concentrations were greater (P < 0.05) with the supply of CAS. Supplementation with CAN and SUN, but not with CAS, reduced (P < 0.05) the sum of FA with 14 or less carbon chains and increased (P < 0.05) the c9-18:1, 18:0 and most of the biohydrogenation intermediates, including the t10-18:1, t11-18:1, and c9,t11-18:2. All oil-supplemented diets reduced (P < 0.05) the content of 16:0 when compared with the control. Milk from ewes fed CAS presented only small proportion of 12-OH,c9-18:1 (0.31% of total FA) but much larger proportions of 12-OH-18:0 (1.58% of total FA) and particularly of 12-oxo-18:0 (2.95 % of total FA), which suggests that 12-OH,c9-18:1 was extensively metabolized in the rumen. Concluding, CAS increased milk fat and modified the milk FA composition by increasing the hydroxy- and oxo-FA. The potential health promoting proprieties and technological advantages of milk enriched with hydroxy- and oxo-FA are not know at present but deserve to be explored.

The physiological response, feeding behaviour and water intake of feedlot lambs supplemented with babassu oil or buriti oil

ABSTRACT The objectives in this experiment were to compare the effects of adding babassu oil or buriti oil in the diet of sheep on physiological response, feeding behaviour and water intake. Twenty-one lambs (24.6 ± 3.8 kg BW, mean ± SD) were distributed in an unbalanced randomized block design, using three diets: (1) basal diet without added oil (Control, CON); (2) 4% FA.kg−1 DM of babassu oil (BAO) and (3) 4% FA.kg−1 DM of buriti oil (BUO), containing 30% roughage. The addition of vegetable oil to the diet did not change the body temperature and rectal temperature; however, BAO decreased (P < 0.05) the respiratory rate. Additionally, BAO decreased (P < 0.05) dry matter (DM) intake, but did not affect: feeding, rumination and idle activities. The diets supplemented with vegetable oils reduced the efficiency of rumination of DM and neutral detergent fibre (NDF), the total water ingested, water intake per kg of DM and total water intake per kg of DM intake. Therefore, diets supplemented with vegetable oil modified the rumination efficiency and decreased the water intake of lambs in feedlots, especially with the addition of BAO with higher saturated fatty acids; it reduced the DM intake and respiratory rate.

Performance, ingestive behavior and cost of production of finishing lambs fed non-forage diets

ABSTRACT The objective was to evaluate the effect of the use of a non-forage diet in feeding finished sheep in a feedlot regarding intake, nutrient digestibility, performance, ingestive behavior, and cost analysis with feed. The experiment was performed in a completely randomized complete block, with two treatments and eight blocks per treatment. The treatments were the control diet (30 of hay and 70% of concentrate, dry matter (DM) basis, normally used in the finishing system in Brazil) and the non-forage diet (100% concentrate). Animals fed non-forage diets had lower nutrient intake and metabolizable energy (ME) intake. Even though the animals that received a non-forage diet presented lower intake of DM, organic matter (OM), and crude protein (CP), there was no effect (p < 0.05) for the digestibility coefficients of these variables between diets. The time spent in rumination, total chewing, and idleness also decreased (p < 0.05) when lambs were fed a non-forage diet, due to the decreased DM intake. The profit margin value of US

EVOLUÇÃO DO ESTRATO HERBÁCEO EM ÁREA DE CAATINGA SOB PASTEJO

10.395/animal reached by sheep fed the control diet was higher than the profit margin obtained by sheep that received the non-forage diet (US

Influência do pastejo e da precipitação sobre a fenologia de quatro espécies em área de caatinga

−3.974/animal). The non-forage (pelleted) diet led to lower bio-economic performance, and its exclusive use in sheep finishing is not recommended.