Feeding restriction in the pre and postpartum period of hair ewes raised in the semi-arid region: implications on performance and carcass traits of the progeny.

Feed restriction (FR) occurs commonly in sheep production systems in the Brazilian semi-arid region and can cause physiological changes in the progeny. We assessed the effects of the FR pre and postnatal on the performance and carcass traits of Morada Nova lambs. Twenty-four lambs born from a group of 68 ewes were distributed in three treatments of 8 replicates as follows: ewes fed ad libitum pre and postnatal (AL-AL); postnatal restriction (POSTN-R): included lambs born from ewes fed ad libitum in the last third of pregnancy with FR postnatal; and prenatal feeding restriction (PREN-AL): comprised lambs born from ewes subjected to FR in the last third of pregnancy but ad libitum postnatal. Slaughter body weight (20.96 kg); total weight gain (11.34 kg); average daily weight (0.096 kg); fasting carcass weight (19.45); hot carcass weight (9.33 kg); and cold carcass weight (9.11 kg) were smaller (P < 0.05) in POSTN-R but similar between AL-AL and PREN-AL. Rib (0.47 kg), shoulder (0.85 kg), loin (0.50 kg), and chest-flank (0.97 kg) had lower weight in lambs under POSTN-R (P < 0.05). The treatments did not affect the tissue composition of the 12th rib. The non-carcass components and carcass traits are the variables that best discriminate animals under FR plans. The postpartum FR in native lambs has an impact on the performance and carcass weight of the progeny, unlike lambs submitted to prepartum FR, which demonstrates the adaptation to intrauterine nutritional deficiency in Morada Nova ewes to produce lambs with heavy carcasses in regions semi-arid.

Effect of distance and daily periods on heat-stressed pigs and pre-slaughter losses in a semiarid region.

Effective planning animal transport is essential to safeguard animal welfare and reduce production losses. Environmental conditions, specifically extreme temperatures in combination with ranges of relative humidity are highlighted as one of the main risk factors for production losses during transport (e.g., fatalities). The majority of research evaluating both welfare and production impacts of pig transport have been primarily undertaken in Europe and North America, which cover a relatively limited range of distinct climates (e.g., temperate, sub-arctic, etc.). As a result, research on pig transport in semi-arid conditions is lacking. In this study, we evaluated the effects of both distance (short, 30 km; and long, 170 km) and transport daily periods (morning, (05:00-11:00); afternoon (12:00-17:00); and night, (23:00-04:00)) on the preslaughter losses and heat stress of pigs in commercial transport in a semiarid region. Across 19 journeys of standard slaughter-weight pig loads (124.0 ± 2.8 kg), 684 focal animals (36 per journey) were evaluated. For each journey, the load's thermal profile (THIadj and enthalpy) and physiological responses of individual pigs were recorded. On arrival at designated slaughterhouses, the percentage pig of non-ambulatory non-injured (NANI), non-ambulatory injured (NAI), death on arrival (DOA), and total losses were recorded. Short journeys in the afternoon were shown to be more detrimental to the thermal comfort of pigs, with higher rectal temperatures recorded. The highest percentage of total losses and DOA occurred in afternoon journeys, irrespective of distance, followed by the morning, with the lowest losses observed in pigs transported at night. Additionally, total losses and DOA were further exacerbated by journey distance, with higher rates observed in short journeys. Higher percentage averages of NANI and NAI were observed in shorter journeys, but daily periods effects were only observed for NANI. These results further demonstrate the welfare and production loss risks associated with journey distance and time of day (representing varying environmental conditions) during road transport of pigs, whilst providing novel data in semiarid conditions. Careful and effective planning for pig transportation is essential to minimize heat stress and production losses. Consideration of the thermal environment on the day of travel, as well as providing flexibility to adjust travel times (e.g., early morning or evening), should help to mitigate risks of heat stress and production losses during pig transport.

Rumen fermentation and metabolic profile of rams fed with diets amended cottonseed cake.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the addition of increasing cottonseed cake contents in the diet. The diets were composed of corn silage (500 g kg-1) and concentrate feed (500 g kg-1) on a dry matter (DM) basis. The treatments consisted of the substitution of 0, 140, 280, and 420 g kg-1 soybean meal to cottonseed cake in the DM of concentrate feed. Four rams of the Santa Inês breed, average age of 12 months and average weight of 27.77 ± 3.87 kg, were distributed in a Latin square design (4 × 4) in a split-split-plot design, with diets in the plots and as subplots were 5 days of collection and the collection times. The results were subjected to analysis of variance and regression at 5% probability. The soybean meal substitution contents by cottonseed cake in the concentrate increased linearly the pH (P = 0.019). Ruminal ammonia-nitrogen concentration decreased linearly by 0.0137 mg dL-1 at each 10 g/kg of substitution and the time after feeding promoted the same effect (P < 0.001) decreased linearly by 0.6204 mg dL-1 at each hour after feeding. There was an increased linearly of 0.0116 mmol mL-1 at the concentration of propionic (P = 0.008) and a reduction of 0.0062 mmol mL-1 at the concentration of butyric (P = 0.009) with cottonseed cake content; however, the substitution did not influence the others short-chain fatty acids. Replacement of soybean meal with cottonseed cake in the sheep feed did not significantly alter the blood parameters, promoting minor changes in the ruminal parameters mainly in the ruminal ammonia-nitrogen without affecting the animal's health.

Effects of the dietary inclusion of babassu oil or buriti oil on lamb performance, meat quality and fatty acid composition.

The effects of adding babassu oil (BAO) or buriti oil (BUO) to lamb diets, on performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality and fatty acid (FA) composition were evaluated. Feeding BAO reduced (P = .02) dry matter intake, kidney fat and dressing percentage, but did not change energy intake and performance. Meat pH, color, protein content and sensorial evaluation were not affected by diet. However, BUO increased (P = .02) intramuscular and subcutaneous fat contents, but decreased shear force. BAO increased (P < .05) trans-monounsaturated FA, total biohydrogenation intermediates (BHI) and the t10:t11 ratio, in meat and subcutaneous fat, but decreased total FA and cis-monounsaturated FA, did not change SFA, and increased (P = .04) PUFA in meat. BUO supplementation promoted the highest (P < .05) SFA and total FA content in subcutaneous fat but did not change PUFA. BAO can be used as an alternative energy source for growing lambs, but does not improve the meat FA composition.

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

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.

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%.

Desempenho produtivo de cabritos alimentados com glicerina bruta / Productive performance of goat kids fed of crude glycerin

Avaliou-se o desempenho produtivo de cabritos mestiços terminados em confinamento, alimentados com dietas contendo glicerina bruta (0, 4, 8 e 12% na MS). Vinte cabritos mestiços foram utilizados em blocos completos, casualizados com quatro tratamentos e cinco repetições, para determinação do ganho médio diário (GMD), consumo de matéria seca (CMS) e nutrientes (PB, FDN, EE) e comportamento ingestivo. Para o ensaio de digestibilidade, foram utilizados quatro caprinos alocados em delineamento em quadrado latino, para determinação da digestibilidade da MS e nutrientes (PB, FDN, EE). A adição de glicerina bruta não interferiu (P>0,05) no GMD e no CMS e demais nutrientes. O tempo de ingestão aumentou com o incremento de glicerina bruta nas dietas. Não houve diferença significativa (P>0,05) dos tratamentos sobre o tempo gasto na ruminação e digestibilidade da MS, PB e FDN, contudo, houve efeito quadrático para a digestibilidade do EE. Recomenda-se a inclusão em até 12% de glicerina bruta para cabritos em terminação, em situações de oscilação do preço do milho, sem alteração nos parâmetros produtivos avaliados.

This study was conducted to evaluate the productive performance of crossbred goats finished in feedlots fed diets containing increasing levels of crude glycerin (0, 4, 8 and 12%, DM basis). Twenty crossbred goat kids were used in a randomized complete block design with 4 treatments and 5 replications to determine average daily gain (ADG), dry matter intake (DMI) and nutrients (CP, NDF, EE) and ingestive behavior. For digestibility trial, four castrated male goats were used in a Latin Square Design to determine the DM and nutrients digestibility. Crude glycerin did not affect (P>0.05) the ADG, DMI and nutrients intake. Eating time increased linearly (P<0.05) with crude glycerin addition. Rumination time and dry matter and nutrients digestibility were unaffected by crude glycerin addition. However was a quadratic effect (P<0.05) to EE digestibility. It is recommended adding up to 12% crude glycerin to finishing kids, in situations of high price of corn, without changes in production parameters evaluated.