The aim of the study is to discern benchmarks for the indicators L water cow⁻¹ day⁻¹ and L water kg milk⁻¹ day⁻¹ per type of production system and season. A total of 876 commercial dairy farms underwent comprehensive water consumption monitoring from January 2021 to December 2022. The monitored water consumptions were animal drinking water and water usage for cleaning. Confined systems exhibited the highest average for animal drinking and cleaning, 87.5 L water cow⁻¹ day⁻¹ and 84.4 L water cow⁻¹ day⁻¹, respectively. Semi-confined systems presented the lowest average for animal drinking, 54.4 L water cow⁻¹ day⁻¹. Pasture systems showed the lowest average for cleaning, 45.2 L water cow⁻¹ day⁻¹. The benchmarks proposed in this study can serve as the first references for animal drinking and milking parlor washing consumption for production systems in tropical conditions.

This study aimed at correlating reproductive rates with milk production based on the evaluation of cows in different milk production levels in a commercial dairy herd located at Triângulo Mineiro region. A total of 241 cows of the following breeds were monitored: Holstein, Girolando, Jersey crossing with Holstein and Jersey in full stabling system, subjected to three daily milking and treated with recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST) from the second month of lacta­tion until 60 days before the subsequent delivery. Conception rates, number of artificial inseminations (NAI), days between calving and first AI (FAI) and calving interval to conception (ICC) were estimated. Cows were grouped according to three independent criteria, average daily production (10-19; 20-29; 30-39; >40 kg day-1), total production in lactation (10,000 L) and days in lactation (<150; 150-300; 300-450; 450-600 days). The results indicated that the days in lactation negatively influenced (P<0.001) the FAI, CIC and NAI. The number of inseminations was also influenced by total production during lactation. The maintenance of milk production through the use of rbST negatively influenced the reproductive rates.

Rabbit farming is a growing activity, which implies need for precision nutrition aimed at best animal’s performance and health. Given some restrictions on the use of mineral sources in animal nutrition, inorganic supplementation with rock dust becomes an interesting alternative. The objective was to evaluate the effect of rock dust as an alternative source of inorganic balsistic mineral in nutrition. Three treatments were tested: (1) control group without addition of rock dust or phyllite, (2) kale group, treated with 13g of cabbage/animal/day and (3) phyllite group, treated with 1.5% rock dust addition. Eight animals per group were evaluated in vivo for weight gain, feed intake, shank thickness, average daily weight gain, calcium excretion by bromatology in feces and urine. After slaughter, carcass weight, shin bone weight, urine test and viscera weight were evaluated. There was an increase in weight gain in the animals with rock dust and greater weight in the shin bones; calcium excretion was higher in the kale and control group. There was no difference between the other variables. The use of rock powder proved to be efficient for a better minerals deposition and absorption in the bones.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi investigar a influência do manejo nutricional de ovelhas no final da gestação e no início da lactação, em conjunto com a suplementação de quelato de zinco na terminação, sobre o desempenho e a carga parasitária de cordeiros. O estudo, conduzido no Centro de Boas Práticas de Manejo para Pequenos Ruminantes (CePRum) da Fazenda-Escola da FAZU, em Uberaba-MG, utilizou 24 ovelhas mestiças, das quais 12 (50% de prenhez) foram divididas em dois grupos: um suplementado e outro não, para atender às exigências nutricionais do terço final da gestação e início da lactação conforme o NRC 2007. Os 12 cordeiros nascidos foram então distribuídos em quatro tratamentos em delineamento em blocos ao acaso em arranjo fatorial, combinando a presença ou ausência de suplementação materna na gestação/lactação com a presença ou ausência de zinco na terminação. Durante 30 dias de confinamento, foram avaliados o ganho médio diário (GMD), o escore FAMACHA e a contagem de ovos por grama de fezes (OPG). Não houve diferenças significativas no GMD ou no peso total entre os grupos (P>0,05). No entanto, a combinação da suplementação materna com a oferta de quelato de zinco na terminação reduziu a carga parasitária de forma significativa (P<0,05) sem alterar o escore FAMACHA. Conclui-se que a nutrição adequada da mãe, aliada à suplementação de zinco nos cordeiros, é uma estratégia eficaz para o controle parasitário.