Effect of food supplementation on in vitro embryo production and growth performance in prepubertal Nelore heifers.

In vitro embryos production from prepubertal heifers can help contribute to breeding programs; however, strategies are necessary to increase their embryo production. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of two nutritional plans on oocyte recovery, embryo production and growth performance of prepubertal Nelore heifers. Thirty-four Nelore heifers with age of 6.5 months were divided into two feeding treatments (NP1 and NP2). The NP1 diets served as the control and NP2 diets were formulated to contain an average of 1.22-fold more energy than NP1. After 3 months of supplementation, the animals underwent follicular aspiration (ovum pick-up, OPU) every 21 d for 3 months and embryos were produced in vitro. Wither height, chest depth, body weight and subcutaneous fat of animals were measured. The number of retrieved and viable oocytes per OPU were 1.49-fold and 1.42-fold greater in NP2 heifers (p = 0.018 and p = 0.049, respectively) than those in NP1 heifers. Heifers administered NP2 produced 29.7% blastocysts, a percentage higher than NP1 animals that produced 24.40% embryos (p < 0.05). Consequently, females in the NP2 treatment showed improved body development. These results indicate a positive effect of a higher energy diet on assisted reproduction and body development in prepubertal heifers.

Suplementação protéica energética no desempenho de novilhas em pastejo durante a fase de terminação / Energetic protein supplementation on heifers performance in grazing during the finish phase

Para estudar o efeito da suplementação da dieta sobre o desempenho de novilhas na fase de terminação mantidas em pastagem de capim-marandu sob lotação intermitente, durante a estação chuvosa, foram utilizadas 20 novilhas cruzadas (» Nelore, » Santa Gertrudes, ½ Braunvieh) com peso corporal médio de 300 kg e 22 meses de idade. Os tratamentos constituíram-se de dois tipos de suplementação: sal mineral (SM) ad libtum e suplemento protéico energético (SPE) fornecido a 0,3 por cento do peso corporal (PC) por dia com avaliações realizadas a cada 28 dias, no período entre dezembro de 2006 e março de 2007 Foram avaliados o desempenho animal e as características de carcaça medidas por ultrassom. Observou-se o efeito (P=0,057) da suplementação sobre o ganho de peso dos animais suplementados, 0,700 kg/dia e 0,587 kg/dia dos animais que receberam sal-mineral. Houve efeito da suplementação na área de olho de lombo e profundidade do músculo Gluteus medius. As demais características analisadas pela técnica de ultrassom não diferiram entre si em função da suplementação. A suplementação protéica energética da dieta permite ganhos adicionais, o que reflete em aumento da deposição de músculo de novilhas mantidas em pastagem de capim-marandu durante o período das águas.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of the diet supplementation on the heifers performance in finishing phase, maintained in a marandu grass pasture managed in intermittent grazing system during the rainy season. Twenty crossbreed (» Nelore, » Santa Gertrudes, ½ Braunvieh) heifers with average initial body weight of 300 kg and 22 months old were used. The treatments consisted of two types of supplements: mineral (SM) ad libtum and energy protein supplementation (PES) provided 0.3 percent of the body weight daily. The evaluated variables were: animal performance and carcass traits measured by ultrasound each 28 days. Supplementation affected daily weight gain (P=0.057), 0.700 kg/day for supplemented animals against 0.587 kg/day for animals receiving salt-mineral. There were no supplementation effect on the loin eye area and depth of the Gluteus medius muscle. The other characteristics examined by the ultrasound technique did not differ according to the treatments. Protein and energy supplementation of the diet allows additional gains that reflected in increased deposition of muscle of heifers grazing marandu grass during the wet season.

Avaliação e utilização de silagens de grão úmido de milho sobre o desempenho e características de carcaça de caprinos

Objetivou-se com o presente trabalho avaliar os efeitos do Lactobacillus plantarum (LP), Lactobacillus buchneri (LB), Benzoato de sódio (BS) e suas associações (LPLB e LPBS) sobre a redução das perdas quantitativas e qualitativas das silagens de grãos úmidos de milho (SGUM) e o controle da população de leveduras e fungos durante a exposição aeróbia das mesmas; os efeitos sobre a digestibilidade e o desempenho de cabritos alimentados com essas silagens; assim como a utilização da ultrassonografia e medidas biométricas como método indireto na estimativa das características da carcaça. Para tanto, foram realizados dois experimentos: no experimento 1 foram utilizados silos experimentais, nos quais foram determinadas as perdas de matéria seca (MS) por gases (PG), a recuperação de MS, teores de MS, nitrogênio amoniacal, valores de pH ocorrido durante a fermentação e estabilidade aeróbia (EA), assim como contagem de fungos e leveduras durante a EA das silagens. Na avaliação do processo fermentativo, utilizou-se o delineamento inteiramente casualizado (DIC), em arranjo fatorial 6 X 6 (6 silagens e 6 tempos) e na fase de exposição aeróbia utilizou-se um DIC em parcelas subdivididas, sendo as parcelas representadas pelas silagens experimentais e as sub-parcelas pelos tempos de exposição (0, 4, 8 e 12 dias). O experimento 2 consistiu de dois ensaios de digestibilidade e um de desempenho utilizando-se 24 cabritos (16 ¾ Boer e » Saanen e 8 Saanen puros) machos, castrados e confinados por 84 dias. Foram determinadas as medidas biométricas, condição corporal e as mensurações através do ultrassom no animal vivo, assim como as medidas da carcaça após o abate e resfriamento por 24 h. Utilizou-se o DIC em parcelas subdivididas, tendo na parcela um fatorial 4 X 2 (4 rações e 2 grupos genéticos) e na subparcela os ensaios. As rações foram compostas por feno de Tifton...

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of Lactobacillus plantarum (LP), Lactobacillus buchneri (LB), Sodium benzoate (SB) and their associations (LPLB and LPBS) on the reduction of quantitative and qualitative losses of high moisture corn silages (HMCS) and the control of yeast and fungi populations during fermentation and aerobic exposition of the same, the effects on digestibility and performance of goats fed with these silages, as well as the use of ultrasound and biometric measures as indirect method to estimate the carcass characteristics. For this, two experiments were conducted: in the first experiment were used experimental silos, in which were determined the losses of dry matter for gases (GL), the recovery of dry matter (DM), levels of DM, ammonia nitrogen, pH values occurred during fermentation and aerobic stability (AS), as well as fungi and yeast counts during the AS of the silage. In evaluating of the fermentation process, was used the completely randomized design (CRD) in a factorial arrangement 6 X 6 (6 silages and 6 times) and in the aerobic exposition phase was used a split-plot in CRD, and the plots were represented by experimental silages and the sub-plots by time of exposition (0, 4, 8 and 12 days). The second experiment consisted of two digestibility trials and one about performance of 24 goats (16 ¾ Boer and » Saanen and 8 Saanen blood pure) males, castrated and feedlot for 84 days. Biometric and ultrasound measures in the living animal were determined, as well as carcass measures after slaughtered and chilling for 24 hours. The CRD was used in split-plot arrangement, using in the plots a factorial 4 x 2 arrangement (4 rations and 2 genetic groups) and the sub-plots the trials. The rations were composed by Tifton 85 hay (53.3%), soybean meal (12.15%), urea (0.25%) and mineral mixture (2%), being added...