The aim of this study was to evaluate the intake, digestibility, water balance and growth performance of lambs receiving diets containing cactus silage under an intermittent water supply. Thirty-six male, uncastrated Santa Inês lambs with an initial weight of 19.8 ± 2.1 kg and age of 6 months were distributed in a 3 × 3 factorial arrangement, with three proportions of cactus pear in the diets (0 (control diet containing Tifton hay), 21% and 42% of dry matter) and three periods of intermittent water supply (0, 24 and 48 h), with four repetitions. Lambs that received diets non-isonitrogenous with cactus silage showed higher intakes of dry matter (p < 0.001), total digestible nutrients (p < 0.001), water excretion via faeces (p < 0.001) and water balance (p < 0.001). Lambs that received diets with cactus silage showed higher digestibility of total carbohydrates, non-fibre carbohydrates (p = 0.005), water intake via food (p < 0.001), total water intake (p < 0.001), water excretion via urine (p < 0.001) and water balance (p < 0.05), when compared to the control diet. Lambs that received diets with cactus silage promoted growth performance (p = 0.001). When using 42% forage cactus silage in place of Tifton hay and water offered at 48 h intervals, intake, digestibility, and performance of feedlot lambs were improved.

The high intake of fermentable carbohydrates may cause nutritional disorders and negatively affect animal performance. Thus, the research study aimed to determine the better roughage:concentrate ratio to improve the carcass traits and physicochemical quality of meat from feedlot-finished Santa Ines lambs. Diets were composed of Tifton 85 grass hay (Cynodon sp.) and concentrate (soybean meal, corn meal, urea, and mineral mixture) and consisted of five roughage:concentrate ratios of 88:12 (C12), 69:31 (C31), 50:50 (C50), 31:69 (C69), and 12:88 (C88). After 63 days the animals were slaughtered and carcass traits, the yield of commercial cuts, and physicochemical properties of meat were evaluated. The higher percentage of concentrate on roughage provided higher DM intake, better feed conversion, higher conformation, finishing, and carcass yield that resulted in heavier commercial cuts with higher fat content in the meat. The addition of 50% concentrate to the roughage improved the carcass traits, commercial cuts, and physicochemical parameters of the meat in a similar way to the diet with 88% concentrate, but with leaner meats, meeting the demands of the current consumer market.

The aim of this study was to evaluate silages produced with different mixtures of melon biomass and different levels of ground corn. The experiment was conducted under a completely randomized design in factorial scheme (3 × 4), with four replications. The first factor consieted of three mixtures of plant (branch and leaf) and fruit (melon; scraps) on natural matter (NM) as follows: 0, 100 and 1000 g kg-1 fruit. The second factor consisted of the use of different amounts of ground corn (0, 50, 100 and 200 g kg-1). Experimental silos with capacity for 5 kg and density of 500 kg m-3 were used. After 90 days, the silos were opened and the evaluations were carried out. The data were subjected to analysis of variance and the means were analyzed through the Tukey’s test (fermentative losses, chemical composition, aerobic stability), Scott-Knott test (microbiology and organic acids) and regression, and were compared with a significance level of p<0.05. The best dry matter results were obtained in silages with 0, 100 and 1000 g kg-1 fruit combined with 200 g kg-1 ground corn, which averaged 289.4, 290.4 and 264.1 g kg-1, respectively. Quadratic behavior was observed for effluent losses in silages with 100 g kg-1 fruit presenting a minimum value of 46.8 e and a maximum 56.2 kg t-1 NM. Regarding the mold population count, the highest values were obtained in silages with 100 g kg-1 fruit and 50 g kg-1 ground corn. Silages with 100 and 1000 g kg-1 fruit in melon biomass and 200 g kg-1 ground corn presented superior quality indicators, characterizing these biomass mixtures as the most suitable for silage making.

Using additives in sugarcane silage can reduce dry matter losses and enhance animal performance by preserving nutritional value. This study evaluated the performance, nutrient digestibility, and blood parameters of sheep fed sugarcane silage with or without cottonseed cake. Twenty-six uncastrated, mixed-breed male lambs (approximately 6 months of age; 26 ± 1.3 kg) were allocated to two dietary treatments based on sugarcane silage (SS) and cottonseed cake (CSC), which differed in the form of feed presentation: (1) the control, consisting of SS and fresh CSC provided simultaneously but offered separately, without physical mixing; and (2) the Partial Mixed Ration silage (S + CSC), in which SS and CSC were pre-mixed and ensiled together at a proportion of 80:20 (natural matter basis). Dry matter intake (1620 g/kg) was similar between diets, but dry matter digestibility (64.75%) and average daily gain (202.88 g/day) were higher in the cottonseed cake group, leading to greater total weight gain (8.11 kg). These animals also had a lower acetate/propionate ratio (4.2 vs. 2.0 mmol/L) and higher blood glucose (44 vs. 35 mg/dL). Higher N intake, urinary N, and retained N were observed in the cottonseed cake diet, which also improved the diet’s mineral balance. In conclusion, adding cottonseed cake to sugarcane silage enhances fermentation, preserves nutritional value, and improves sheep performance.