The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the inclusion of palm kernel oil (PKO) in a lamb diet on nutrient intake, digestibility, ingestive behavior, nitrogen balance, blood metabolites, rumen fermentation parameters, and animal performance. Three experimental trials were conducted. The treatments consisted of varying levels of PKO included in the diet, with PKO_zero = no PKO inclusion, PKO_1.3 = 1.3% addition, PKO_2.6 = 2.6% addition, PKO_3.9 = 3.9% addition, and PKO_5.2 = 5.2% addition, based on the total dry matter (DM) of the diet. With the inclusion of PKO in the diet, linear decreases in DM (p < 0.001), crude ash (p < 0.001), crude protein (CP) (p < 0.001), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) (p < 0.001), nonfibrous carbohydrate (NFC) (p < 0.001), and total digestible nutrient (TDN) (p = 0.021) intake were observed, as was an increase in ether extract (EE) intake (p < 0.001). The digestibility coefficients of NDF and NFC were not affected by PKO addition to the diet. However, the digestibility of DM (p = 0.035), EE (p < 0.001), CP (p < 0.001), and TDNs (p < 0.001) increased when PKO was added to the lambs’ diet. Reductions in N intake (p < 0.001), fecal nitrogen excretion (p < 0.001), and microbial protein production (p < 0.001) were noted with increasing PKO levels. Serum cholesterol increased (p < 0.001) while serum GGT enzyme concentrations in the blood decreased (p = 0.048) with increasing PKO levels. PKO addition had no effect on total weight gain and average daily gain; however, feed conversion improved (p = 0.001) with increasing PKO levels. The intake, digestibility, ingestive behavior, and growth performance of lambs with PKO_1.3 added to their diet were similar to animals that did not receive PKO, meaning that PKO could be an alternative energy source for growing lambs because it does not harm animal performance and can lower the cost of feed.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of includingsun-dried banana peel in diets for F1 Holstein x Zebu cows on intake, digestibility and milk production. Diets were composed of 0, 15, 30, 45 and 60% replacement of sorghum silage with banana peel provided to 10 cows in two simultaneous 5 x 5 Latin squares, with the experiment divided into five periods of 16 days. The dry matter intake showed a quadratic effect with maximum level at 38.30% substitution as well as intake of crude protein expressed in kg-1 day and percentage of body weight, with maximum at the levels of 50.09 and 45.69% inclusion of the peel, respectively. The intake of neutral detergent fiber and the digestibility of neutral detergent fiber and crude protein showed a decreasing linear effect. Variation in weight and body condition score, milk production and feed conversion were not affected. The replacement of 60% sorghum silage with banana peel represents a viable alternative as it causes no change in cows with average production of 16.49 kg milk with 3.5% fat day-1, reducing feeding costs.

This study evaluated the effects of palm kernel oil (PKO) in the diet of lambs on carcass characteristics, quality, and fatty acid profile of the meat. Forty uncastrated male Santa Inês lambs were used and divided among the treatments: PKO_zero without inclusion; PKO_1.3—added 1.3%; PKO_2.6—added 2.6%; PKO_3.9—added 3.9%; PKO_5.2—added 5.2%. The carcass characteristics, the variables related to meat color, and the chemical composition of the Longissimus lumborum of lambs were not affected by the PKO inclusion. The weight of the carcasses at slaughter, hot and cold, half carcass, loin-eye area, and commercial cuts decreased linearly when PKO was added to the lamb diet (p < 0.01). CCY decreased linearly to the inclusion level of 2.66% PKO (RMSE 2.204). Total conjugated linoleic acid CLA and C18:3 n-3 GA concentrations remained stable until the inclusion levels of 3.44% PKO (RMSE 0.0956) and 2.17% (RMSE 0.0637), decreasing its concentrations as the increased level of PKO. The presence of PKO in the lambs’ diet up to the level of 5.2% did not change the meat quality characteristics; thus, from the point of view of lamb meat production and fatty acid profile, the inclusion of PKO is not beneficial.

Objetivou-se avaliar o efeito da inclusão de doses crescentes de óxido de cálcio (CaO) e diferentes tempos de exposição aeróbia, sobre a composição química do bagaço de cana-de-açúcar. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o inteiramente casualizado em esquema fatorial 4 x 4 + 1, com três repetições por tratamento, sendo composto de quatro doses de CaO (0,5; 1,0; 1,5 e 2,0% da matéria natural), quatro tempos de exposição aeróbia (18, 36, 54, 72 horas) e um tratamento controle (bagaço in natura).