Prediction of Carcass Traits of Santa Inês Lambs Finished in Tropical Pastures through Biometric Measurements.

The aim of this study was to predict carcass traits of Santa Inês lambs finished in tropical pastures by using biometric measurements. Data originated from two experiments involving 56 lambs (32 in experiment I and 24 in experiment II). In both experiments, the sheep were finished in that were finished in pastures of Panicum maximum and Brachiaria brizantha, experiment I being conducted in the rainy season and experiment II in the dry season. The following biometric measurements were recorded before slaughter: body length (BL), withers height (WH), rump height (RH), thorax width (TW), rump width (RW), chest width (CW), heart girth (HG), thigh circumference (TC), rump circumference (RC) and leg length (LL), in addition to live weight at slaughter (SW). After slaughter, hot carcass weight (HCW), cold carcass weight (CCW) and the weights of primal cuts (shoulder, neck, loin, leg and rib) were recorded. In the equations generated to predict SW, HCW and CCW, R2 ranged from 0.58 to 0.91 and the measurements of WH, TC, CW, HG and RW were the most relevant. In the equations developed to predict the weight of primal cuts, in turn, R2 ranged from 0.26 to 0.99. In these models, SW, BL, CW, TC, LL and HG explained most of the variation in the weight of primal cuts. Biometric measurements can be used to accurately and precisely predict HCW, CCW and the weight of primal cuts from the carcass of Santa Inês sheep finished in tropical pastures, since the equations presented R2 and correlation coefficient and agreement above 0.8.

Impact of supplementation with different protein sources on the parasitological profile of ovine matrices and development of lambs / Impacto da suplementação com diferentes fontes protéicas no perfil parasitológico de matrizes ovinas e no desenvolvimento de cordeiros

The aim was to evaluate the impact of supplementation with different protein sources from agro-industrial production on the parasitological profile of ovine matrices and the development of their offspring. The protein sources used were: soybean bran, cotton pie, babassu pie, and coconut pie. A total of 60 ovine matrices were used, with confirmed pregnancy and supplemented in the final third of gestation at 0.5% of live weight in pastures of deferred Marandu grass. The evaluations occurred from the final third of gestation and in the lactation phase until weaning. The data collected in the matrices were: counting of eggs per gram of feces (EPG) and identification of infective larvae (Faecal test), evaluation of the degree of anemia by the FAMACHA© method, body weight (kg), and body condition score (BCS). In the lambs, the biometric measurements were taken from the 30 days of life until weaning. In Faecal test, the prevalence was 98% of Haemonchus spp. There was no effect of the protein sources for EPG (3476.0) and FAMACHA©. However, in the mats supplemented with coconut pie were observed the lowest body weights (36.9 kg) and lower BCS (2.7). Babassu, coconut and cotton cakes, and soybean meal used as a protein source in the supplementation of ovine matrices kept in deferred pastures of Marandu grass at the 0.5% level of live weight maintain the production indexes consistent with the physiology stage of the matrices even with a high endo-parasitic load.

O objetivo foi avaliar o impacto da suplementação com diferentes fontes proteicas da produção agroindustrial no perfil parasitológico das matrizes ovinas e no desenvolvimento de seus filhotes. As fontes de proteína utilizadas foram: farelo de soja, torta de algodão, torta de babaçu e torta de coco. Foram utilizadas 60 matrizes ovinas, com prenhez confirmada e suplementadas no terço final da gestação com 0,5% do peso vivo em pastagens de capim Marandu diferido. As avaliações ocorreram desde o terço final da gestação e na fase de lactação até o desmame. Os dados coletados nas matrizes foram: contagem de ovos por grama de fezes (OPG) e identificação de larvas infectantes (teste fecal), avaliação do grau de anemia pelo método FAMACHA ©, peso corporal (kg) e escore de condição corporal (ECC). Nos cordeiros, as medidas biométricas foram realizadas a partir dos 30 dias de vida até o desmame. No teste fecal, a prevalência foi de 98% de Haemonchus spp. Não houve efeito das fontes de proteína para OPG (3476,0) e FAMACHA ©. No entanto, nas matrizes suplementadas com torta de coco foram observados os menores pesos corporais (36,9 kg) e menorECC (2,7). Torta de Babaçu, coco, algodão e farelo de soja utilizados como fonte protéica na suplementação de matrizes ovinas mantidas em pastos diferidos de capim Marandu no nível de 0,5% de peso vivo mantêm os índices de produção consistentes com o estágio fisiológico das matrizes, mesmo com uma carga endo-parasitária alta.

Biometry and carcass characteristics of lambs supplemented in tropical grass pastures during the dry season / Biometria e características da carcaça de cordeiros suplementados em pastos de gramíneas tropicais na época seca

The objective of this study was to evaluate the biometry and carcass characteristics of finished Santa Inês crossbred sheep grazed on tropical grass pastures during the dry season. The study was carried out at the Grupo de Estudos em Forragicultura (GEFOR/UFRN), in Macaíba ­ RN, Brazil. Four forage treatments were evaluated: Brachiaria brizantha cvs. Marandu e Piatã, Panicum maximum cvs. Aruana e Massai. The 2.88 ha-area used was divided in two blocks of 1.44 ha; each one was composed of four plots corresponding to each cultivar, and each plot was subdivided into six paddocks with an area of 0.06 ha. The pastures were managed under intermittent stocking with seven days of occupation and 35 days of rest, with variable stocking rate. No significant difference was observed in the biometric measurements evaluated in the animals, except for chest width in which animals kept in Marandu pastures obtained higher values than those in the Aruana cultivar. The lowest values of average daily gain, final weight and weight at slaughter values were observed in the animals kept in Aruana cultivars. Cut weights of the shoulder, the loins, short legs/shanks and ribs were higher in the animals kept in Marandu grass and lower in those kept in the Aruana grass; however, no differences were observed for the yield of the cuts and for the biometric measurements of the carcass. The evaluated pasture cultivars did not modify the finished sheep carcasses, however, the lower forage mass from Aruana grass pastures in the dry season affected animal performance and the sheep carcass composition.

Objetivou-se avaliar a biometria e as características da carcaça de ovinos mestiços de Santa Inês terminados em pastos de gramíneas tropicais na época seca. O trabalho foi realizado no Grupo de Estudos em Forragicultura (GEFOR/UFRN), em Macaíba ­ RN, Brasil. Os tratamentos avaliados foram quatro forrageiras: Brachiaria brizantha cvs. Marandu e Piatã, Panicum maximum cvs. Aruana e Massai. A área utilizada foi de 2,88 ha dividida em dois blocos de 1,44 ha, onde cada um desses foi constituído de quatro parcelas correspondente a cada cultivar, e cada parcela subdivida em seis piquetes com área de 0,06 ha. Os pastos foram manejados sob lotação intermitente com sete dias de ocupação e 35 dias de descanso, com taxa de lotação variável. Não houve diferença significativa nas medidas biométricas avaliadas nos animais, exceto para a largura do peito, em que os animais mantidos nos pastos da cultivar Marandu obtiveram valores maiores que aqueles da cultivar Aruana. Os menores valores de ganho médio diário, peso final e peso ao abate foram observados nos animais mantidos na cultivar Aruana. Os pesos dos cortes paleta, lombo, pernil e costela foram maiores nos animais mantidos no capim-marandu e menores naqueles mantidos no capim-aruana, porém não foram observadas diferenças para o rendimento dos cortes e para as medidas biométricas na carcaça. As cultivares avaliadas não modificam as carcaças de ovinos terminados em pasto, porém a menor massa de forragem dos pastos da cultivar Aruana na época seca comprometem o desempenho animal e a composição das carcaça de ovinos.

Ingestive behavior of sheep in Panicum and Brachiaria pastures in dry season / Comportamento ingestivo de ovinos em pastos de Panicum E Brachiaria na época seca

The ingestive behavior of sheep supplemented with concentrate in Brachiaria brizantha and Panicum maximum pastures were evaluated during the dry season. Twenty four male sheep of ½ Santa Inês x ½ undefined breed genotypes were used. The treatments were four feeds of cultivar grasses: B. brizantha cvs. Marandu and Piatã, P. maximum cvs. Massai and Aruana. The ingestive behavior of the animals was recorded during two periods of 24 hours. The grazing time, rumination, idleness (minutes day-1), bite rate (bites minute-1), and the frequency of the animals activities in relation to defecation, urination and search for water, concentrated and mineral salt were observed. There was interaction between time of the day and evaluated cultivars based on the grazing time and bite rate response. Sheep grazing on marandu-grass showed higher grazing time between 11 am to 4 pm (257 minutes), compared to animals grazing on aruana-grass (217 minutes). The bite rate was higher for sheep on massai-grass between 11 am to 4 pm (34.32 bits minute- 1). There was no grass effect for idleness and rumination, which can highlight the similarity of chemistry characterization and high percentage of structural components in evaluated pastures. The structural limitations and feed mass composition in the dry season caused effects on the ingestive behavior of idleness and bite rate of supplemented sheep in Brachiaria and Panicum pastures.

Avaliou-se o comportamento ingestivo de ovinos, suplementados com concentrado, em pastos de Brachiaria brizantha e Panicum maximum durante a época seca. Foram utilizados 24 animais, machos inteiros do genótipo ½Santa Inês x ½ sem padrão racial definido. Os tratamentos corresponderam a quatro cultivares de gramíneas forrageiras, sendo B. brizantha cultivares. Marandu e Piatã e P. maximum cultivares. Massai e Aruana. O comportamento ingestivo dos animais foi registrado durante dois períodos de 24 horas. Observou-se o tempo de pastejo, ruminação, ócio (minutos/dia), taxa de bocados (bocados/minuto) e a frequência dos animais em relação à defecação, micção e busca pela água, concentrado e suplemento mineral. Houve interação entre o período do dia e as cultivares avaliadas sobre as respostas de tempo de pastejo e taxa de bocado. Os animais sob pastejo no capim-marandu apresentaram maior tempo de pastejo no período de 11-16h (257 minutos) em relação aos animais do capim-aruana (217 minutos). A taxa de bocados foi maior para os animais do grupo do capim-massai no período 11-16h (34,32 bocados/minuto). Não houve efeito de tratamento para as variáveis de ócio e ruminação, o que pode evidenciar a semelhança da caracterização química e elevada porcentagem de constituintes estruturais nos pastos avaliados. As limitações estruturais, de composição e massa de forragem na época seca provocam efeitos sobre as variáveis de comportamento ingestivo de ovinos suplementados em pastos de Brachiaria e Panicum.