The objective of this study was to examine the effect of the increasing levels of inclusion of palm kernel cake (PKC) in the diet on the performance of feedlot heifers. Forty-eight Nelore heifers with an initial weight of 274 ± 4.58 kg, at 24 months of age, were confined for 98 days in a feedlot. The animals were allocated to the four treatments in a completely randomized design. Treatments consisted of PKC levels of 0 (control), 10, 20, and [...] ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to examine the effect of the increasing levels of inclusion of palm kernel cake (PKC) in the diet on the performance of feedlot heifers. Forty-eight Nelore heifers with an initial weight of 274 ± 4.58 kg, at 24 months of age, were confined for 98 days in a feedlot. The animals were allocated to the four treatments in a completely randomized design. Treatments consisted of PKC levels of 0 (control), 10, 20, and

The study aimed to evaluate the effects of three supplementation strategies on intake, apparent digestibility, feeding behavior, performance, carcass traits, proximate composition, and the fatty acid profile of meat from steers on tropical pasture during the post-weaning and finishing stages. The experiment involved 33 1/2 Holstein × 1/2 castrated Zebu steers weighing 335 ± 42.90 kg, aged 22 ± 2 m. The animals were managed on Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu using an intermittent grazing system with continuous stocking and variable stocking rates for 310 days. The supplementation strategies were as follows: MS/US (mineral salt/urea supplementation): mineral salt in the rainy season and mineral salt with urea in the dry season; US/PS1 (urea supplementation/protein supplementation): mineral salt with urea in the rainy season and protein supplement at 1 g/kg body weight (BW) in the dry season; and PS1/PS2 (protein supplementation 1/protein supplementation 2): protein supplement at 1 g/kg BW in the rainy season and 2 g/kg BW in the dry season. The dry matter intake did not differ significantly (p > 0.05) between strategies. However, the post-weaning PS1/PS2 strategy resulted in higher (p < 0.05) crude protein intake. The final body weight did not differ (p > 0.05) between the strategies, but the average daily gain in post-weaning and finishing was higher (p < 0.05) for MS/US (restricted) animals. Carcass weight, subcutaneous fat thickness, and lipid content in meat were significantly higher (p < 0.05) for steers in the PS1/PS2 group. Steers finished on MS/US produced meat with a higher content of polyunsaturated fatty acids and ω-3 fatty acids (p < 0.05). Concentrate supplementation at 1 g/kg BW during the rainy season and 2 g/kg BW during the dry season is recommended for post-weaning and finishing steers on tropical pasture.

Brave bean (Capparis flexuosa L.) is a Caatinga species that is used as forage, mainly during the dry season when some plant species lose their leaves. The aim of this study was to assess genetic diversity within and among brave bean populations using Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. Brave bean leaves were collected from 30 accessions in the following municipalities of Paraíba state, Brazil: Barra de Santa Rosa (BSR), Cuité (C), São João do Cariri (SJC), Damião (D), Baraúna (B), and Picuí (P). DNA extraction followed the standard methodology of CTAB with modifications. RAPD analyses were carried out using 18 primers, and polymorphism of the amplified DNA fragments was visualized using agarose gel electrophoresis. Data were used to calculate Jaccard Similarity Coefficient values, which were then used to group samples with the Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Mean. Cophenetic Correlation Coefficient, Stress, and Distortion Coefficient values were also calculated from these analyses. Band polymorphism was generated with 14 primers, but the sampled populations showed low numbers of polymorphic loci (27 in BSR, 18 in C, 7 in SJC, 9 in D, and 0 in B and P). The highest polymorphic information content was found in samples from the BSR (9 groups), C (22 groups), SJC (7 groups), and D (6 groups) municipalities. In the interpopulation analysis, 34 groups were formed, the matrices of which showed high cophenetic correlations (0.95 to 0.98), but low stress (12.9 to 17.45%) and distortion (3.05%). Therefore, results showed that there was genetic variability both among and within brave bean populations.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the non-carcass components of crossbred Santa Inês lambs finished in feedlot with the inclusion of different levels of red propolis extract (RPE). Thirty-five crossbred lambs were used with an average weight of 17.08 ± 2.36 kg and mean age of five months, distributed in a completely randomized design with five treatments and seven replications. The treatments evaluated were: 0; 7; 14 and 21 mL of extract/animal/day Before slaughter, each animal was individually weighed to obtain the body weight at slaughter (BWS). The weights and yields of non-carcass components were evaluated, weights and yields of regional dishes (Buchada and Panelada). The addition of different levels of red propolis extract (RPE) did not influence (p > 0.05) the weights and yields of non-carcass components, by-products and adipose deposits, to the weight and yield of regional dishes. The use of red propolis extract in diets up to the level studied (28 mL day-1) did not change the characteristics evaluated.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the morpho-agronomic parameters, chemical composition and genetic divergence among Manihot sp. access collected in the Curimataú and Cariri micro regions of the State of Paraíba - Brazil. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with 10 access and 8 replicates. Morpho-agronomic characterization was evaluated through 16 agronomic traits and 12 morphological traits. For the chemical evaluation, 11 traits were discriminated. According to the results, access 2 (Monteiro-PB) was considered a tall plant, with larger canopy area with smaller leaves. The access are cylindrical plants with dark green apical leaf and obovate-lanceolate central lobe, straight or zig zag growth, green vein and with the presence of five lobes and terminal branches in the green plants. The branching levels range from 1 to 4, upward or horizontal petiole and reddish green petiole color. The stipules are short and the sinuosity of leaf lobe is smooth. From the chemical variables evaluated in the access of Manihot, the ones that contributed the most to distinguish genotypes were the content of neutral detergent fiber, non-fiber carbohydrates and total carbohydrates. The morpho-agronomic traits together with the chemical composition data serve as a parameter to indicate the possible access to be used in the forage processing, with better nutritional value.