This study aimed to establish the optimum level of palm kernel meal in the diet of Santa Ines lambs based on the sensorial characteristics and fatty acid profile of the meat. We used 32 lambs with a starting age of 4 to 6 months and mean weight of 22 2.75 kg, kept in individual stalls. The animals were fed with Tifton-85 hay and a concentrate mixed with 0.0, 6.5, 13.0 or 19.5% of palm kernel meal based on the dry mass of the complete diet. These levels formed the treatments. Confinement lasted 80 days and on the last day the animals were fasted and slaughtered. After slaughter, carcasses were weighed and sectioned longitudinally, along the median line, into two antimeres. Half-carcasses were then sliced between the 12th and 13th ribs to collect the loin (longissimus dorsi), which was used to determine the sensorial characteristics and fatty acid profile of the meat. For sensorial evaluation, samples of meat were given to 54 judges who evaluated the tenderness, juiciness, appearance, aroma and flavor of the meat using a hedonic scale. Fatty acids were determined by gas chromatography. The addition of palm kernel meal to the diet had no effect on the sensorial characteristics of meat juiciness, appearance, aroma or flavor. However, tenderness showed a quadratic relationship with the addition of the meal to the diet. The concentration of fatty acids C12:0, C14:0 and C16:0 increased with the addition of palm kernel meal, as did the sum of medium-chain fatty acids and the atherogenicity index. Up to of 19.5% of the diet of Santa Ines lambs can be made up of palm kernel meal without causing significant changes in sensorial characteristics. However, the fatty acid profile of the meat was altered.Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado da Bahia - FAPESB, Salvador, Bahia, Brazi

Lima, L. S., Oliveira, R. L., Garcez Neto, A. F., Bagaldo, A. R., Abreu, C. L., Silva, T. M., Carvalho, S. T. and Bezerra, L. R. 2015. Licuri oil supplements for lactating cows on pasture. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 95: 617–624. As licuri [Syagrus coronata (Martius) Beccari] oil can be a beneficial energy source in the diet of lactating cows managed on pasture, this study aimed to determine the most effective level of licuri oil in feed supplements. Sixteen Holstein×Zebu crossbreed lactating cows grazing on Tanzania (Panicum maximum) pasture grass were grouped into two 4×4 simultaneous Latin squares; there were four experimental periods of 21 d each, with 17 adaptation days and 4 d of data collection. The treatments were diets containing 0.0, 15.0, 30.0 or 45.0 g kg⁻¹ of licuri oil in concentrated dry matter. The intakes of dry matter, crude protein and non-fiber carbohydrate levels were not affected by the addition of licuri oil; however, the intake of neutral detergent fiber and total digestible nutrients decreased linearly. Neutral detergent fiber digestibility was reduced linearly with increasing levels of licuri oil in the concentrate. There were no changes in blood glucose levels, but blood urea nitrogen levels varied according to the time of the day when the blood was collected. Inclusion of licuri oil at 45.0 g kg⁻¹ in feed concentrates results in improved dry matter and ether extract digestibility.

O experimento foi realizado com quatro novilhos Holandês x Zebu, fistulados no rúmen, mantidos em baias individuais e dispostos em um quadrado latino 4x4 repetido no tempo. Teve duração de 88 dias e os animais foram alimentados com feno de tifton-85 e mistura concentrada com farelo de soja, tortas de dendê, amendoim e girassol, que constituíram os quatro tratamentos. Avaliaram-se o consumo, a digestibilidade aparente total e o pH ruminal. O consumo de matéria seca (MS), proteína bruta (PB), carboidratos não fibrosos (CNF) e nutrientes digestíveis totais (NDT) foi menor (P0,05). As digestibilidades totais dos nutrientes não foram influenciadas pelas dietas (P>0,05). A concentração do pH ruminal não foi influenciada pelas dietas, entretanto houve efeito do tempo de coleta. As tortas de amendoim e girassol oriundas da produção do biodiesel podem substituir o farelo de soja na dieta de novilhos. A substituição total do farelo de soja pela torta de dendê diminuiu o consumo de MS.