Sugarcane yeast with urea in replace of soybean meal in the diet of Murrah buffaloes does not cause metabolic, endocrine, and mineral disorders.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the replacement of soybean meal by increasing levels of sugarcane yeast and urea on the energy, enzymatic, protein, mineral, and hormonal profiles of buffalo heifers. Twenty Murrah heifers with an average body weight of 168 ± 2.0 kg and 1 year old were used in a completely randomized design. The treatments consisted of the replacement of soybean meal by increasing levels of sugarcane yeast and urea (0, 33, 67, and 100% dry matter). The animals were weighed at the beginning and end of the experimental period, and blood was collected on the final day. The replacement of soybean meal with sugarcane yeast influenced the performance and metabolic dynamics, with total weight gain (P = 0.005) and average daily gain (P = 0.015), presenting, for both variables, a quadratic effect. Considering the biochemical profile, there was an influence on the serum concentration of triglycerides (P = 0.055), the serum activities of aspartate aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, and alkaline phosphatase (P < 0.05), in addition to the serum concentration of phosphorus (P = 0.007) and potassium (P = 0.053), which showed positive linear effects. The hormonal profile was not influenced by diets (P > 0.05). The elements copper, iron, and zinc were able to be quantified at all levels of sugarcane yeast and urea in the diets offered. The use of sugarcane yeast with urea promotes adequate metabolic response of buffalo heifers and can replace up to 100% of soybean meal in the concentrate.

Serum concentrations of folic acid and cobalamin and energy metabolism of ewes as a function of the energy density of the diet, peripartum period, and pregnancy toxemia.

The aim of this study was to determine the serum levels of folic acid, cobalamin, and indicators of energy metabolism during the peripartum period of ewes submitted to different diets and with or without pregnancy toxemia. Forty Santa Inês ewes were divided into three groups, a group of 20 animals fed only roughage-diet with low energy density (G1), a group of 10 ewes submitted to diet containing roughage and concentrate-diet with high energy density (G2), and a group of 10 ewes with diagnosis of pregnancy toxemia (PT) (G3). In the ewes of groups G1 and G2, blood samples were collected -30, -15, -7 days pre-partum, on the day of partum, and 7, 15, and 30 days postpartum; blood samples from G3 animals were collected during the veterinary clinic care. Significant variations were observed in the plasma concentration of glucose and serum folic acid, cobalamin, fructosamine, NEFA, and ß-hydroxybutyrate in the groups fed diets with different energy levels, with and without PT (P < 0.05). A positive correlation of folic acid and cobalamin was observed with plasma glucose and serum NEFA concentrations, in addition to negative correlation of glucose with NEFA and ß-hydroxybutyrate and positive correlation between the latter biomarkers of energy metabolism. The ewes diagnosed with PT showed higher levels of folic acid, NEFA, and ß-hydroxybutyrate (P < 0.05). Ewes fed diet containing roughage and concentrate present higher serum levels of folic acid, cobalamin, and glucose, in the pre-partum period and in the lactation period. The results obtained contribute to better understanding of the application of blood concentration tests for folic acid and cobalamin in the energy metabolism and in PT in ewes.