Roberta Ariboni Brandi

Uso de levedura em equinos alimentados com dietas compostas de fenos de diferentes qualidades nutricionais

In order to evaluate the effect of using probiotic (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) in diets for horses, it was used four male equines, with average body weight of 400 kg, in a 4 o 4 Latin square design. Diets were composed of concentrated and 85 Tifton grass hay (low quality) or alfafa hay (high quality), with or without addition of yeast. Each experimental period lasted 36 days, with total fecal collection for determination of apparent digestibility coefficients of the nutrients and fecal collection for determining pH and fecal microbiology. Use of probiotic did not affect apparent digestibility coefficients of the diets, except for ether extract. Hay nutritional quality affected coefficients of dry matter digestibility, crude protein and ether extract (EE) only for diets with Tifton grass hay without probiotic and with alfafa hay with probiotic. The utilization of yeast culture increased the Lactobacillus population in feces of animals fed diet with Tifton grass hay with probiotic. Probiotic was not used in population of Lactobacillus in diets of alfafa hay (good quality). Streptococcus population in the diet increased as yeast was supplemented in both diets with Tifton grass hay as that with alfafa hay. Diet with 85 Tifton grass without probiotic promoted reduction in fecal pH values 14 and 17 hours after feeding. Considering the values of fecal pH in this periods after feeding, the diets supplemented with probiotic showed values higher than those without addition of yeast.

Palatability of Horse Diets Containing Citrus Pulp (Citrus Sinensis) through the Preference Test

The aim of this study was to evaluate the acceptance of concentrates containing increasing levels of citrus pulp (7, 14, 21 and 28%) and the most preferred level of inclusion, observing the first action and the palatability using the preference test. Ten healthy mares, averaging 500 kg live weigh (LW), were housed in individual pens, where the four experimental concentrates were offered simultaneously, in a linear and continuous feeder for horses, for a period of 15 min. During this period, the first action (smelling or eating), the first choice (first concentrate effectively ingested) and the intake ratio (intake of each concentrate in relation to the total concentrate intake) were observed. Effect of inclusion on first action was observed (P<0.01), once 80% of animals fed promptly the concentrate and only 20% smelled it before the choice. The concentrate with 7% of citrus pulp presented the highest intake ratio (0.4425; P<0.01). For the first choice variable, there was no difference (P>0.05), however the concentrate with 7% was the most preferred (36.67%). Citrus pulp can be used as concentrate feed for horses. Therefore, low levels of inclusion in the concentrate, close to 7%, are recommended when the concentrate is based on corn, wheat bran, soybean meal, with no flavour agents like molasses.

Avaliação nutricional de alguns alimentos para eqüinos por meio de ensaios metabólicos

O presente trabalho foi conduzido no Departamento de Zootecnia da Universidade Federal de Lavras - MG, com o objetivo de determinar o valor nutricional de alguns alimentos para equinos. Os alimentos foram avaliados por meio de seis ensaios metabolicos em um delineamento inteiramente casualizado, sendo a unidade experimental representada pelo cavalo mantido individualmente em gaiolas de metabolismo. Um total de seis ingredientes: soja integral tostada, semente de linhaca, feno de rama de mandioca, feno de rama de cenoura e feno de tifton. Para a determinacao dos coeficientes de digestibilidade aparente dos alimentos (CDA), foi utilizado o metodo da Coleta Total de Fezes. Os resultados obtidos na base da materia seca para soja integral tostada foram: 32% de proteina digestivel (PD) e 3.732 kcal/kg de energia metabolizavel (EM); milho floculado: 7,7% de PD e 3.325 kcal/kg de EM; semente de linhaca: 16,5% de PD e 3.724 kcal/kg de EM; feno de rama de mandioca: 3,3% de PD e 874 kcal/kg; feno de rama de cenoura: 7,9% de PD e 1.405 kcal/kg de EM e feno de tifton: 7,1% de PD e 1.427 kcal/kg de EM. Com esses resultados, evidencia-se que entre os alimentos concentrados a soja integral tostada foi o unico alimento que propiciou simultaneamente um alto nivel proteico e energetico. A semente de linhaca e o milho floculado apresentaram elevado valores de EM, embora ambos tenham sido muito semelhantes ao da soja integral tostada. Para os alimentos volumosos, ficou evidenciado por meio dos resultados que o maior PD foi obtido pelo feno da rama de cenoura, cujo resultado foi similar ao obtido pelo o feno de tifton. Os resultados de composicao quimica e valores nutricionais dos alimentos estudados podem contribuir para uma formulacao adequada de racoes para equinos.

Replacing wheat bran by corn gluten feed without steep water in complete dog food

Abstract Twenty-four adult Beagles were utilised to evaluate the partial replacement of wheat bran with corn gluten feed without steep water on digestibility and characteristics of faeces. The treatments were 0 (no substitution), 30, 60 or 90 g/kg of corn gluten without steep water. There was no effect (p > .05) on the digestibility coefficients (g/kg) of dry matter (0.771), organic matter (0.806), crude protein (0.813), ether extract (0.798), crude fibre (0.393), neutral detergent fibre (0.425), acid detergent fibre (0.286) and crude energy (0.812), whilst there was effect (p < .05) on the digestible and metabolisable energy. There were effects (p < .05) for dry matter and pH of faeces but no effect (p > .05) was found on the remaining faecal characteristics: excretion for 100 g of food (56.77 g), excretion (129.6 g/day and 49.0 g dry matter/day), score (3.90), dry matter excretion for 100 g of food (22.86 g), buffering capacity (BC) at pH 5 (57.81), ammonia nitrogen (1.46 g/kg of faecal dry matter) and water balance (333.25 mL/day), in vivo and in situ gas production (p > .05). Corn gluten feed without steep water can be utilised to replace up to 90 g/kg of wheat bran without causing negative effect on the digestibility and characteristics of faeces.

Blood parameters and apparent digestibility of concentrate with rice oil for horses

Apparent digestibility coefficients and serum parameters were measured to evaluate the effect of supplementing feed concentrates with rice bran oil in horses. Twelve horses (6 males and 6 females) with a mean age of 18 ± 4 months old and mean live weight of 306 ± 22.6 kg were used. Treatments consisted of increasing rice bran oil concentrate levels of 0, 3.5, 7.0, 10.5, 14.0 and 17.5%, considering a daily intake of 2.25% live weight on a dry matter basis. A dietary effect of supplementation on the apparent digestibility of gross energy (y = 64.55 - 0.58x) was observed (P 0.05). Supplementation did not affect serum glucose levels (P>0.05), but cholesterol was affected (P 0.05). A dietary effect on the triglyceride (y = 15.73 - 0.96x + 0.0524x2) and HDL (high-density lipoprotein) (y = 45.24 + 1.0499x) parameters was observed (P<0.01). While the use of rice bran oil does affect blood parameters associated with lipid metabolism, rice bran oil levels up to 17.5% concentrate do not negatively affect the apparent digestibility of dietary nutrients.