Whole grain diet for Feedlot Lambs

For a lamb feedlot system became competitive it is essential that an equilibrate nutrition and functional feeding management happens naturally. Therefore, this experiment has the objective to evaluate the efficiency of whole corn grain diet on lambs performance and carcass quality parameters and ruminal papillae development. During the experiment twenty Dorper/Santa Inescrossbred lambs were used, divided randomly in two treatments: control diet and whole grain diet. The experimental design was completely randomized design and data analysis done by SISVAR using the Tukey test at 5% of probability. No statistical differences were observed on the characteristics evaluated for performance and carcass as well as the length and width of ruminal papillae. The composition of the diet together with the weight gain potential of the lambs can explain the good average daily weight gain of 0.284 kg. The initial body condition average was 2.1 (thin) and improved at the end of the trial period achieving3.15 (normal). Carcass yield reached 46.24%, the results is between the range ideal for specialty meat breeds ranging from 40 to 50%. The carcass conformation, fat cover conformation and the thickness of subcutaneous fat found can be classified as medians. Also there was no difference in the characteristics of ruminal papillae. Thus, it is concluded that the use of whole grain diet did not influence the characteristics evaluated; and the choice of diet should be made with regard to profitability, simplicity of use and availability of forage in feedlot. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analysis of the intestinal bacterial microbiota in maize- or sorghum-fed broiler chickens using real-time PCR

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Accumulation of a complex of pigments in sorghum mesocotyls in response to wounding

Sorghum mesocotyls upon mechanical injury with an abrasive (carborundum) or inoculation with the fungi Helminthosporium carbonum (non-pathogen) or Colletotrichum graminicola (pathogen) accumulate a methanol-soluble pigment complex with an absorption maximum around 480-490 nm. Spectral and thin-layer chromatographic analyses showed that the complexes which accumulated either in response to wounding or inoculation are similar. Thus, it is suggested that the accumulation of the pigmented phytoalexins in sorghum mesocotyls is a non-specific response of the tissues towards mechanical injury or fungal infection.

FLUXOFENIM USED AS A SAFENER ON SORGHUM SEED FOR S-METOLACHLOR HERBICIDE

This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of protective fluxofenim seed treatment of sorghum hybrids DKB510 and SCG340, in order to increase the selectivity to the herbicide S-metolachlor applied pre-emergence and to determine the activity of detoxification enzyme glutathione S-transferase (GST). This work was divided into two stages. The first step consisted of field evaluation of the effectiveness of the shield to reduce visual symptoms of plant injury caused by the herbicide and the second determined the activity of GST. It was compared the susceptibility of sorghum seeds to the herbicide by means of visual assessment of injuries at 3, 7, 15 and 30 days after emergence (DAE), root dry weight and shoot at 10 DAE, and determination of activity GST. The treatments were: application of the safener dose at 0 and 40 mL per 100 kg of seed, and spraying of the herbicide S-metolachlor at rates of 1,440 and 2,880 g a.i. ha(-1), and a control without herbicide. The safener use to seed treatment for both sorghum hybrids (DKB510 and SCG340) increased tolerance to the herbicide S-metolachlor in two doses, and the best results were obtained at a dose of 1,440 g ha(-1). The GST enzyme activity showed an increase when using the fluxofenim prior to application of the herbicide S-metolachlor at a dose of 1,440 g ha(-1) for the two hybrids.

Electrical Properties at Grain Boundaries Influenced by Cr3+ Diffusion in SnO2.ZnO.Nb2O5-Films Varistor Prepared by Electrophoresis Deposition

SnO2-based varistors are strong candidates to replace the ZnO-based varistors due to ordering fewer additives to improve its electrical behavior as well as by showing similar nonlinear characteristics of ZnO varistors. In this work, SnO2-nanoparticles based-varistors with addition of 1.0 %mol of ZnO and 0.05 %mol of Nb2O5 were synthesized by chemical route. SnO2.ZnO.Nb2O5-films with 5 μm of thickness were obtained by electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of the nanoparticles on Si/Pt substrate from alcoholic suspension of SnO2-based powder. The sintering step was carried out in a microwave oven at 1000 °C for 40 minutes. Then, Cr3+ ions were deposited on the films surface by EPD after the sintering step. Each sample was submitted to different thermal treatments to improve the varistor behavior by diffusion of ions in the samples. The films showed a nonlinear coefficient (α) greater than 9, breakdown voltage (VR) around 60 V, low leakage current (IF ≈ 10-6 A), height potential barrier above 0.5 eV and grain boundary resistivity upward of 107 Ω.cm.

Influência do desponte de panículas de sorgo sacarino sobre a qualidade da matéria-prima e produção de bioetanol

Pós-graduação em Microbiologia Agropecuária - FCAV

Effects of leaf extracts of Myrcia guianensis (Aubl.) DC. on growth and gene expression during root development of Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench

The allelopathic potential of leaf extracts from the medicinal plant Myrcia guianensis (Aubl.) DC. was studied in Petri dish bioassays on sorghum and determined the seed germination, germination rate index (GRI), root growth, secondary root number, the genes involved in root development (SHR, PHB, PHV and REV) and microRNA 166 that regulates these genes. The hydroalcoholic extract was more inhibitory than methanol extract (moderate inhibition) and aqueous extract at 25 and 100% concentration were least inhibitory. Application of higher dose of hydroalcoholic M. guianenesis leaf extracts on sorghum seeds, inhibited the root development and changed the expression of SHR and PHB genes and microRNA 166. This suggested that the expression of these genes could be indicator of allelopathic potential for inhibition of root development in sorghum.

Agronomic efficiency and grain quality of upland rice cultivars as a function of nitrogen topdressing

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

Acúmulo de matéria seca e macronutrientes por cultivares de sorgo sacarino

Nutrient accumulation curves help us understand the nutritional demands of a crop. The aim of this study was to evaluate the growth and accumulation of macronutrients by the sweet sorghum cultivars CVSW80007, CVSW80147, CVSW82028, CVSW82158. The experiment was conducted in a renewal sugarcane ratoon area at Uchoa county, SP, being deployed in January 2012. The plants were collected in 15 days intervals from the 10th after emergence (DAE). The greatest content of dry matter, N, P, Mg and S, was due to by the CVSW82028 cultivar, while the CVSW82158 extract the greatest amount of K and the CVSW80147 of Ca. The stalks represented the highs percentage of dry matter and nutrient content, except nitrogen and phosphorus, in which grains corresponded to the higher percentage of total absorption. The CVSW80007, CVSW82028 and CVSW82158 cultivars showed the following decreasing nutrient extraction N>K>Ca>Mg>P>S and the CVSW80147, K>N>Ca>Mg>P>S. Considering only the stalks harvest, the decreasing nutrient exportation is the same for all cultivars: K>N>Ca>Mg>S>P. Whereas the decreasing nutrient exportation sequence considering stalks and grain harvest is the following for the CVSW80007, CVSW80147 and CVSW82158 cultivars: K>N>Ca>Mg>P>S and K>N>Ca>Mg>P>S for the CVSW82028.

Maize leaf phytotoxicity and grain yield are affected by nitrogen source and application method

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Effect of the particle size of maize, rice, and sorghum in extruded diets for dogs on starch gelatinization, digestibility, and the fecal concentration of fermentation products

The influence of rice, maize, and sorghum raw material particle size in extruded dry dog food on the digestibility of nutrients and energy and the fecal concentration of fermentation products was investigated. Three diets with similar nutrient compositions were formulated, each with 1 starch source. Before incorporation into diets, the cereals were ground into 3 different particle sizes (approximately 300, 450, and 600 mu m); therefore, a total of 9 diets were in a 3 x 3 factorial arrangement (3 cereals and 3 particle sizes). Fifty-four beagle dogs (12.0 +/- 0.1 kg BW) were randomly assigned to the diets, with 6 dogs per diet. The digestibility was measured with the chromium oxide method. The data were evaluated with ANOVA considering the carbohydrate source, grinding effect, and interactions. The means were compared with the Tukey test and polynomial contrasts (P < 0.05). With the same grinding procedure, rice was reduced to smaller particles than other cereals. The cereal mean geometric diameter (MGD) was directly related to starch gelatini-zation (SG) during extrusion. For rice diets, the MGD and SG did not change nutrient digestibility (P > 0.05); only GE digestibility was reduced at the largest MGD (P < 0.01). For maize and sorghum diets, the total tract apparent nutrient digestibility was reduced for foods with greater MGD and less SG (P < 0.01). A linear reduction in nutrient digestibility according to cereal particle size was observed for sorghum (r(2) < 0.72; P < 0.01). Higher concentrations of fecal total shortchain fatty acids (SCFA) were observed for sorghum diets (P < 0.05) than for other diets. The rice diets led to the production of feces with less lactate (P < 0.05). The increase in raw material MGD did not influence fecal SCFA for rice diets, but for the dogs fed maize and sorghum foods, an increase in propionate and butyrate concentrations were observed as MGD increased (P < 0.05). In conclusion, for dogs fed different particle sizes of the cereal starches in the extruded diets, the digestibility and fecal characteristics were affected, and this effect was ingredient dependent.

Effects of different coagulants on sweet sorghum juice clarification

Sweet sorghum is a potential complementary crop for ethanol production in Brazil, United States and India. Since, phenols are playing inhibitory role in the process of ethanol production from extracted juice from sweet sorghum stalks, it's removal from juice is necessary for better ethanol yield. The aim of this research was to evaluate the use of magnesium oxide and calcium hydroxide as coagulant agents in different pH levels in the juice treatment. The experiment was arranged in a split-plot statistical design. Main treatments corresponded to the different coagulants and secondary treatments were the pH levels (6.0 and 7.0). Analysis of coagulant volume, juice pH, settling rate and sludge volume were performed during the decantation process. Clarified juice was analyzed as Brix, pH, ashes, phenolic compounds and starch. The use of magnesium oxide resulted in lower sludge volume, phenolic compounds and ashes. The use of calcium hydroxide decreased starch content, whereas clarification at pH 7.0 promoted higher sludge volume. Treating juice with magnesium oxide improved decantation dynamics of the process and clarified juice quality.

Feeding high-moisture corn grain silage to broilers fed alternative diets and maintained at different environmental temperatures

The effects of the dietary substitution of dry corn by high-moisture corn grain silage (HMCGS) were evaluated on the performance, nutrient digestibility and serum biochemical parameters of broilers reared in an alternative production system and submitted to different environmental temperatures. A total of 288 one-day-old male Cobb chicks were distributed according to a randomized block design in a 3x4 factorial arrangement: three environmental temperatures (hot, thermoneutral or cold) and four levels of HMCGS in substitution of dry corn (0%, 20%, 40% or 60%). The acid analysis showed that the evaluated HMCGS contained average percentage values of ethanol, lactic acid, and acetic acid (expressed in 100% of dry matter) of 0.7690, 2.7320 and 0.0249%, respectively. Propionic and butyric acids were not detected. Dry corn and HMCGS presented pH values of 5.8 and 3.3, respectively. The inclusion of HMCGS reduced dietary pH, as shown by the values of 5.7, 5.4, 5.1 and 4.8 recorded for the diets containing 0%, 20%, 40% and 60% of HMCGS, respectively. There was no significant interaction between diets and environmental temperature. HMCGS may replace up to 40% dry corn in broiler diets when performance, triglyceride levels, and HDL-cholesterol ratio is considered, and up to 60% when nutrient digestibility is evaluated. High environmental temperature impairs broiler performance, nutrient digestibility, and serum biochemistry, demonstrating the influence of environmental temperature on broiler metabolism and performance.

Intake, performance and estimated methane production of Nellore steers fed soybean grain

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