The cashew pseudo fruit can be used to animal feeding in tropical and subtropical countries as Brazil, Ivory Coast and Vietnam. Thus, our objective was to evaluate the intake, digestibility of nutrients and nitrogen balance of dehydrated cashew apple by-product to sheep. The experiment was carried out with 24 sheep in a completely randomized design with the treatments distributed in a 4 x 2 factorial scheme to test the inclusion (11, 21, 28 and 33% dry matter basis) and the grinding sizes (3 and 19 mm diameter) of dehydrated cashew apple by-product. To grinding sizes there was no effect to intake and digestibility, suggesting the use of dehydrated cashew apple by-product either finely or coarsely milled. The inclusion up to 33% of dehydrated cashew apple by-product inclusion did not affect voluntary intake and nitrogen balance. However, when including above 21%, there was a reduction of ether extract digestibility and more than 28% reduced dry matter and organic matter digestibility.

Increasing milk production in countries such as Brazil, India and Pakistan implies the generation of daily by-products such as nutrient-rich bovine whey which, if used in feeding small ruminants would reduce enviromnental waste and add value to this by-product. Twenty entire male kids weighing an average 17 kg and 5 months age were used. The diet control was composed by Aruana hay, milled whole maize, pelleted soybean and limestone. Bovine cheese whey at 1.5; 3.0 and 4.5% (DM basis) was added to experimental diets. Variables measured included intake, nutrient apparent digestibility, energy balance, and nitrogen balance. Regression equations and Pearson correlations (P <= 0.05) were determined. The 3% diet resulted in greater ether extract (EE) (g/kg(0.75)) and digestible EE (P <= 0.05) concentrations compared to 0% whey. The consumption of cellulose (g/kg(0.75)) was greater (P <= 0.05) for kids on the 3.0% diet compared to 0 or 1.5%. Nutrient apparent digestibility was not affected (P > 0.05) by the inclusion of whey. Kids on the 4.5% diet excreted more (P <= 0.05) fecal N than those fed no whey; these also retained less N (P <= 0.05) compared to animals fed 3.0% or less whey in their diet. All diets resulted in positive energy and nitrogen balances. Bovine whey can be included in male kid diets up to 4.5% of diet without negatively affecting consumption or apparent digestibility of those diets.

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o efeito do aumento em 20% da energia da dieta durante um protocolo curto de sincronização do estro sobre os parâmetros reprodutivos e metabólicos em ovelhas da raça Santa Inês. As ovelhas (n=43) foram distribuídas em dois grupos experimentais de acordo com a quantidade de energia incluída na dieta, onde foram utilizadas uma dieta de manutenção e uma dieta de manutenção acrescida em 20% de energia. Exames ultrassonográficos foram realizados para detectar a ovulação, bem como o diâmetro dos folículos. Para avaliação do comportamento sexual as ovelhas foram rufiadas. Foram coletadas amostras de sangue para determinação das concentrações plasmáticas de glicose e insulina. Não houve diferença (P>0,05) entre os grupos para: taxa de animais ovulando (80% vs 60%), diâmetro do maior folículo (6,00 ± 0,20 vs 5,90 ± 0,60), intervalo da retirada do implante à ovulação (52,80 ± 14,87 vs 59,01 ± 8,34 horas), animais em estro (75,00% vs 65,21%), intervalo da retirada do implante ao estro (30,00 ± 15,49 vs 30,00 ± 13,35 horas) e taxa de concepção (50,00% vs 21,73%). Houve diferença (P<0,05) nas concentrações de insulina e glicose. Pode-se concluir que o aumento em 20% da energia da dieta durante um protocolo curto de sincronização do estro não alterou os parâmetros reprodutivos.