Farelo de algodão como substituto ao farelo de soja, em rações para tilápia do Nilo

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Avaliação reprodutiva de touros bubalinos alimentados com subprodutos da agroindústria na Amazônia Oriental

Os subprodutos farelo de coco (FC) e a torta de amêndoa de dendê (TAD) disponíveis na agroindústria da Amazônia Oriental podem ser utilizados como alimentos alternativos na substituição de concentrados convencionais, porém com poucas informações a respeito da sua composição bromatológica, e sua relação com as características produtivas e reprodutivas dos animais. Assim, este trabalho visou avaliar o consumo alimentar, desempenho ponderal, perímetro escrotal, qualidade seminal e níveis de testosterona de búfalos suplementados com rações experimentais à base de TAD ou FC. O trabalho foi desenvolvido na Unidade de Pesquisa Animal “Senador Álvaro Adolpho”, da Embrapa Amazônia Oriental, em Belém-PA. Foram utilizados como doadores de sêmen 15 machos bubalinos (Bubalus bubalis) adultos, divididos em três grupos experimentais: Controle, Base-FC (farelo de coco) e Base-TAD (torta de amêndoa de dendê). Os concentrados experimentais foram fornecidos individualmente na proporção de 1% do peso vivo (PV) de cada animal, diariamente. As colheitas seminais (n=173) foram realizadas semanalmente, e iniciaram 112 dias após o início da suplementação. Foram avaliadas as características físicas (aspecto, cor, volume, concentração, pH, motilidade e vigor espermáticos) e morfológicas (defeitos espermáticos e integridade de membrana plasmática) do sêmen. Os resultados foram submetidos à análise de variâncias, pelo comando PROG GLM do SAS, com comparações de médias feitas por Teste t (P<0,05). O consumo médio de matéria seca dos concentrados experimentais foi de 4,778 ± 1,233 kg, no Grupo Controle, 3,112 ± 0,693 kg, no Base-FC, e 4,558 ± 1,077 kg no Base-TAD (P>0,05). Os pesos médios dos animais foram 591, 4 ± 103,3 kg, 566,4 ± 94,1 kg e 578,3 ± 107,5 kg (P>0,05), e as medidas de perímetro escrotal de 34,6 ± 2,0 cm, 33,0 ± 1,9 cm e 32,7 ± 1,9 cm, spectivamente, nos grupos Controle, Base-FC e Base-TAD. Não houve diferença na concentração espermática (x106 sptz/mL) entre Controle (1326,3 ± 893,8), Base-FC (1.698,1 ± 1023,0) e Base-TAD (1.003,2 ± 569,0). A integridade da membrana plasmática (%) foi de 68,0 ± 19,5, 72,0 ± 22,6 e 82,1 ± 12,2, respectivamente para Controle, Base-FC e Base-TAD, juntamente com a motilidade espermática progressiva (%), foram maiores (P<0,05) no grupo Base-TAD (71,7 ± 15,1%), quando comparadas ao Controle (59,3 ± 20,5%) e Base-FC (56,7 ± 24,8%). Foram observadas correlações entre as variáveis de resposta. O consumo dos concentrados experimentais e ingredientes contidos neles, como PB, lipídeos, macro, micronutrientes e metais foram maiores no Grupo Base-TAD, com exceção de K, maior no Grupo Controle, e de Ti, maior no Grupo Base-FC. Em relação os parâmetros seminais não houve diferença significativa (P>0,05) no volume espermático, movimento de massa, vigor espermático, pH e patologias espermáticas, contudo, maiores concentrações espermáticas foram observadas no Grupo Base-FC e, maior motilidade espermática e integridade de membrana plasmática no Grupo Base-TAD. Deste modo, podemos concluir que as rações à base de subprodutos, como farelo de coco e torta de amêndoa de dendê podem ser utilizadas para touros reprodutores bubalinos, contudo, a melhor qualidade seminal foi observada nas rações à base de torta de amêndoa de dendê.

Potencial nutritivo da torta de dendê na alimentação de ruminantes no estado do Pará

Avalia os efeitos da inclusão de torta de dendê na dieta de ovinos em crescimento, criados sob condições tropicais, com ênfase para efeitos sob o consumo, a digestibilidade aparente e o desempenho desses ruminantes. Para o ensaio do consumo e da digestibilidade aparente utilizou-se 16 ovinos da raça Santa Inês, com idade média de 3 meses e peso aproximado de 19 kg, durante 19 dias, sendo 14 de adaptação e cinco dias de coleta de dados e amostras em gaiolas metabólicas. E para o desempenho, 15 machos com 4 meses de idade, da mesma raça, com peso aproximado de 20 kg por 56 dias, distribuídos em um delineamento em blocos ao acaso em quatro tratamentos : 0, 25, 50 e 75% de inclusão da torta de dendê no concentrado, com dietas compostas por 40% (base matéria seca) de silagem de capim-elefante (Pennisetum purpureum Schum) e 60% de concentrado composto por grão de milho, farelo de soja, torta de dendê e minerais. Analisando os dados verificou-se redução linear no consumo de matéria seca com a inclusão da torta de dendê, porém não houve diferença estatística significativa na digestibilidade da matéria seca. Notou-se ainda um aumento da digestibilidade da FDN e FDA em dietas com maior proporção de torta de dendê. No ensaio de desempenho, observou-se redução linear no ganho de peso dos animais conforme se aumentou o teor de torta de dendê na dieta, resultado do menor consumo de matéria seca (p<0,05), piorando a conversão alimentar. A torta de dendê é potencialmente produtiva, com alta disponibilidade de matéria seca e bom valor nutritivo. Constitui uma boa alternativa para ser utilizada como suplemento alimentar para ovinos, porém em níveis mais elevados pode reduzir o desempenho animal, sendo a sua utilização dependente do preço de aquisição e da relação custo: beneficío.

Avaliação nutricional da torta de dendê para suplementação de ruminantes na Amazônia Oriental

O trabalho foi realizado na Embrapa Amazônia Oriental, em Belém, Pará, (1º28´ S 48º27´ W de Greenwich), com o objetivo de avaliar a influência da adição da torta de dendê (Elaeis guineensis) como alternativa para suplementação alimentar de ruminantes, em períodos críticos de produção de forragem na Amazônia Oriental. Foram determinadas as características nutricionais da torta de dendê, durante um período de 21 dias, com 16 ovinos, em gaiolas metabólicas individuais, distribuídas em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, em quatro tratamentos e quatro repetições, onde os tratamentos (T1, T2, T3 e T4) continham quicuio-da-amazônia (Brachiaria humidicola) e níveis crescentes de 10%, 20%, 30% e 40% de inclusão de torta de dendê. Os consumos de matéria seca, em g/dia e % do peso vivo, foram de 666,6 e 2,5; 686.9 e 2,4; 649,4 e 2,4; e 540,9 e 2,0, de matéria orgânica 706,5; 710,8; 708,1 e 632,3 g/dia, e de proteína bruta 37,3; 42,9; 58,7 e 56,4 g/dia. O consumo de FDN, em g/dia, foi de 584,7; 583,5; 565,2; 527,0. Os coeficientes de digestibilidade da matéria seca foram de 50,3; 47,8; 52,2; e 55,2%, da matéria orgânica de 50,8; 49,6; 53,5; e 56,3% e de proteína bruta de 48,0; 38,7; 66,8; 69,4%, em T1, T2, T3 e T4, respectivamente. A torta de dendê possui potencial produtivo, com elevada disponibilidade de matéria seca e bom valor nutritivo, constituindo-se em alternativa para ser utilizada como suplemento alimentar para ruminantes, principalmente em períodos críticos de estiagem, em níveis em torno de 30%, e possibilita maior consumo e digestibilidade de matéria seca, matéria orgânica, proteína bruta, com suprimento adequado de energia.

Torta de cupuaçú (Theobroma grandiflorum) na alimentação de ovinos

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Valor bioeconômico da suplementação alimentar para bovinos em pastagens de Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Evaluation of babassu meal in feed for layer hens during the growth phase

Studies were conducted to evaluate the nutritional value and inclusion levels of babassu meal (BM) in the diet of grower layer pullets in substitution to wheat meal. Digestibility, metabolism and growth trials were conducted. Twelve cecectomized roosters were used in the digestibility assay to determine the coefficients of standardized digestibility of amino acids (CSDAA). The metabolism trial was conducted with 30 adult roosters to determine the apparent metabolizable energy corrected for nitrogen (AMEn) of BM. A growth trial was performed to determine replacement levels of wheat midds by BM diet using 360 six-week-old commercial layer pullets. BM was included at the 0, 75 and 150 g/kg of BM, during grower and development rearing phases, respectively. Feed intake, body weight gain, and feed conversion were evaluated. BM AMEn was determined as 1,474 kcal/kg, on as-fed basis. The CSDAA determined for BM were below 88% for all AA. The inclusion of BM in the feed of grower layers (7-18 week) significantly decreased feed intake (p < 0.05), but significantly improved body weight gain and feedconversion ratio (p < 0.05) at 15% inclusion level. Considering the nutritional value and performance results, BM can replace wheat midds in diets of grower layer pullets.

Dietary fiber inclusion as an alternative to Feed Fasting to induce molting in Commercial Layers

The objective of the present experiment was to compare the performance, egg quality and organ morphometrics of commercial layers submitted to alternative forced molting methods using dietary fibers. The experimental period included the phases of molting, rest, and second laying cycle (six periods of 28 days each). In the trial, 320 commercial Isa Brown layers with 72 weeks of age were distributed, according to a completely randomized experimental design into five treatments with eight replicates of eight birds each, totaling 40 experimental units. Molting was induced by feeding diets with the inclusion of alfalfa or soybean husks at 80% and 60% or feed fasting. Treatments were applied for 14 days. Performance and egg quality parameters were evaluated for the second laying cycle and organ morphometrics (liver, gizzard, proventriculus, reproductive apparatus) in two different slaughter dates. The obtained data were submitted to analysis of variance using the General Linear Model (GLM) procedure of SAS statistical package (SAS Institute, 2002). Alternative molting methods promoted similar performance and egg quality results after molting were similar to those obtained by the conventional fasting method. Feeding fiber produced the expected effects in terms of organ weight regression and recovery and may be used to induce molting in commercial layers.

High-fiber diets with reduced crude protein for commercial layers

This study aimed at evaluating diets containing different fiber sources and two crude protein levels on the performance, egg quality, and nitrogen metabolism of commercial layers. In total, 392 48-wk-old Isa Brown layers were distributed according to a completely randomized experimental design in a 3x2+1 (control) factorial arrangement, resulting in seven treatments with seven replicates of eight birds each. Treatments consisted of three fiber feedstuffs (cottonseed hulls, soybean hulls, and rice hulls) and two dietary crude protein levels (12% and 16%). Cottonseed hulls associated with the high crude protein level (16%) resulted in the worst feed conversion ratio per dozen eggs. Diets with 16% crude protein resulted in the highest feed intake, egg production, egg weight, egg mass values, and improved feed conversion ratio (kg eggs/kg feed). The dietary inclusion of soybean hulls determined low yolk pigmentation, and of rice hulls, low egg specific gravity. The 16% crude protein diet with rice hulls promoted the best feed conversion ratio. Hens fed the reference diet presented higher egg mass and better feed conversion ratio per kg eggs and per dozen eggs. Hens fed the diets with low crude protein level (12%) had reduced nitrogen excretion, but presented worse egg production.

Bacteriophage- induced reduction in Salmonella Enteritidis counts in the crop of broiler chickens undergoing preslaughter feed withdrawal

Salmonella food poisoning is a public health problem. Feed withdrawal from broiler chickens before slaughter can favor the multiplication of Salmonella in the cecum and crop of contaminated animals and subsequently lead to contamination of carcasses in the processing plant. In the present study, a cocktail of lytic bacteriophages isolated from sewage water was orally administered to 45-d-old broiler chickens 1 h after they received an oral dose of 107 cfu/mL Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serotype Enteritidis. Immediately after phage administration and 30 min, 1, 3, 6, and 12 h thereafter, groups of chicken were killed. Ceca and crops were analyzed for the presence of Salmonella. At 3 h posttreatment, there were 103 cfu/g and 101 cfu/g of cecal and crop suspension, respectively. At 6 h after treatment, the number of Salmonella was 103 cfu/g in the cecal suspension, but below the detection limit in the crops. our results suggest that bacteriophage therapy may be able to reduce the contamination of chicken carcasses by reducing the preslaughter load of Salmonella in the birds.

Feed type for induced molting of commercial layer hens

An experiment employing three hundred and twenty 81-week-old Lohmann LSL commercial-breed hens was conducted to compare alternative induced-molting methods with the conventional method (fasting). Induced molting lasted 28 days at most, production and quality being monitored for four periods of 28 days thereafter. A completely randomized experimental design with five treatments, eight replicates of eight birds each per plot was adopted. The following experimental treatments were applied until a loss of 26% of body weight was reached: T1 - fasting, T2 - wheat bran ad libitum, T3 - rice bran ad libitum, T4 - cracked rice ad libitum, T5 - ground alfalfa ad libitum. Birds were then fed production diet ad libitum, except for those on treatment T1 (fasting) which received 30, 60 and 100 g/bird/day and then feed ad libitum. During induced molting the birds were exposed to a natural photoperiod and at day 28 that period was increased by 30 minutes/week until reaching 16 hours of light/day. The characteristics evaluated during induced molting were: feed intake, body weight changes and laying percentage. In the post-molt period, performance (feed intake, laying percentage, egg weight, egg mass, feed conversion ratio per dozen and per egg mass and percentage of broken eggs) and egg quality (specific gravity, eggshell breaking strength, percentages of eggshell, yolk, and albumen, eggshell thickness, yolk color and Haugh unit) were evaluated. Every 28 days one egg was collected from each repetition for three consecutive days for quality assessment. The use of rice bran and wheat bran is viable as molting inducers since the birds given those treatments display performance and egg quality similar to those fasted during the induced molting and also because these ingredients promote easier handling, eliminates the need for grinding and feed-mixing equipment and, being less aggressive, provide greater bird welfare.

Poultry offal meal in broiler chicken feed

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Sources of omega-6 fatty acids do not alter the rumen degradation and transit of fibre from dairy cow diets

The objective of this study was to evaluate the behaviour of fibre in the digestive tract on the basis of the passage kinetics of forage and concentrate particles in cows fed different omega-6 fatty-acid sources. The scientific hypothesis of this study was that omega-6 fatty acids do not interfere with the digestion of fibre in the diets of dairy cows. Five primiparous lactating Holstein cows were used in the experiment. The experimental diets were: control (C), ground soyabean (GS), cottonseed (CS), soyabean oil (SO), calcium salts of fatty acids (CSFA). The global mean estimates for the parameters of passage rate (gamma) were 0.038 and 0.055 h(-1) for forage and concentrate, respectively. The only significant effect with respect to the passage rate was a high negative correlation between the concentrate passage rate and dry matter intake. There was less undegradable neutral detergent fibre (NDF) in treatments without added lipid. Dietary supplementation with lipid sources does not alter the kinetic parameters of roughage and concentrate particle passage or in vitro NDF degradation. Sources of omega-6 fatty acids do not alter the rumen degradation and transit of fibre.

Genome-wide association analysis of feed intake and residual feed intake in Nellore cattle

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Cluster and meta-analyses of genetic parameters for feed intake traits in growing beef cattle

A data set based on 50 studies including feed intake and utilization traits was used to perform a meta-analysis to obtain pooled estimates using the variance between studies of genetic parameters for average daily gain (ADG); residual feed intake (RFI); metabolic body weight (MBW); feed conversion ratio (FCR); and daily dry matter intake (DMI) in beef cattle. The total data set included 128 heritability and 122 genetic correlation estimates published in the literature from 1961 to 2012. The meta-analysis was performed using a random effects model where the restricted maximum likelihood estimator was used to evaluate variances among clusters. Also, a meta-analysis using the method of cluster analysis was used to group the heritability estimates. Two clusters were obtained for each trait by different variables. It was observed, for all traits, that the heterogeneity of variance was significant between clusters and studies for genetic correlation estimates. The pooled estimates, adding the variance between clusters, for direct heritability estimates for ADG, DMI, RFI, MBW and FCR were 0.32 +/- 0.04, 0.39 +/- 0.03, 0.31 +/- 0.02, 0.31 +/- 0.03 and 0.26 +/- 0.03, respectively. Pooled genetic correlation estimates ranged from -0.15 to 0.67 among ADG, DMI, RFI, MBW and FCR. These pooled estimates of genetic parameters could be used to solve genetic prediction equations in populations where data is insufficient for variance component estimation. Cluster analysis is recommended as a statistical procedure to combine results from different studies to account for heterogeneity.