ABSTRACT. The objective of this study was to evaluate performance, gastrointestinal morphometry, carcass, and non-carcass traits in lambs finished on different levels of canola grain in the diet. Twenty-seven Santa Ines lambs with an average initial weight of 19.33 ± 1.39 kg were given different levels of canola grain in the diet: 0, 8, and 16%. Weights and body condition scores were determined at the beginning, every 14 days and at the end of the experimental period. Animals were slaughtered to assess gastrointestinal morphometry, carcass and non-carcass traits. The statistical design used was completely randomized. The inclusion of canola grain showed a linear effect (0.723) for the width and height of ruminal papillae in the ventral region of the rumen. Intestinal villi and crypts showed a quadratic effect, with peaks of 0.62 µm and 0.43 µm, with the inclusion of 8 and 16%, respectively. When evaluating carcass traits, a decreasing linear effect was found for hot and cold carcass yield with 16% inclusion of canola. Canola grain can be used as an alternative in diets for finishing sheep up to 8% inclusion in the diet without affecting performance, ruminal and intestinal histometry, carcass, and non-carcass traits.

ABSTRACT The objective was to evaluate the inclusion of chitosan (CHI) and technical cashew nut shell liquid (CNSLt) as natural feed additives in cattle diets on nutrient digestibility, ruminal fermentation, and in vitro gas production kinetics. We conducted a completely randomized design with 5×4 factorial arrangement, with 20, 35, 50, 65, and 100% Tifton 85 hay and four additives, monensin (200 mg/kg DM), CNSLt (500 mg/kg DM), CHI (500 mg/kg DM), and CNSLt+CHI (500 mg/kg DM/each). Dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM) digestibility showed a linear reduction according to forage levels. The highest DM digestibility was observed with CHI on cattle diets. Inclusion of CHI increased DM digestibility. The highest in vitro organic matter and crude protein (CP) digestibilities were observed for CNSLt+CHI. The in vitro dry matter digestibility increased linearly with concentrate in the diet. There was interaction of forage:concentrate ratio and the additives for neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber and hemicellulose digestibility. Chitosan, CNSLt, and CNSLt+CHI promoted the lowest acetate:propionate ratio compared with monensin. Total gas production showed interaction of the forage:concentrate ratio and additives. Lag time was lowest with CNSLt+CHI. Chitosan and CNSLt can be considered alternative fermentation modulators to ionophores by improving nutrient digestibility and increasing ruminal propionate concentrations.

RESUMO Objetivou-se avaliar o efeito da inclusão do óleo de copaíba, como aditivo, para bovinos suplementados a pasto, durante a época da seca do ano. Foram utilizados quatro novilhos, castrados, de 245 ± 25 kg, com idade de aproximadamente 18 meses, providos de cânula ruminal, dispostos aleatoriamente em delineamento quadrado latino 4×4. Os animais foram mantidos em piquetes individuais de Brachiaria brizantha cv Marandu, de 0,3 hectares providos de cocho e bebedouro e alimentados com suplemento contendo 380 g/kg de PB (%MS) na proporção de 500g/100 kg de PC. O óleo de copaíba foi acrescido ao suplemento na forma de spray nas proporções de 0, 0,5; 1,0 e 1,5 g/kg de MS ingerida. A pulverização do suplemento foi realizada diariamente no momento do fornecimento do suplemento. Os dados de consumo e digestibilidade dos nutrientes, pH ruminal, nitrogênio amoniacal ruminal e a síntese de proteína microbiana dos animais foram submetidos à análise de variância e regressão polinomial, adotando-se nível de significância de 0,05. A adição do óleo de copaíba afetou quadraticamente o consumo de matéria seca total (P=0,030) e o coeficiente de digestibilidade da PB (P=0,043); sem alterar os parâmetros de fermentação ruminal (P>0,05) e a síntese de proteína microbiana (P>0,05) dos animais mantidos a pasto.

SUMMARY This study analyzed the effect of including copaiba oil as an additive for cattle supplemented on pasture, during the dry season. Four crossbred steers, castrated, with 245 ± 25 kg, aged about 18 months, fitted with permanent rumen cannula; were randomly assigned to a 4×4 Latin square. All animals were housed in individual paddocks (0.3 ha), uniformly covered with Brachiaria brizantha cv Marandu, with through and drinking fountain; and were given a concentrate at 500g/100 kg BW containing 380 g/kg crude protein (%DM). The copaiba oil was added to the supplement as a spray, in the proportions of 0, 0.5; 1.0 and 1.5 g/kg DM intake. Spraying supplementation was performed daily at the time of supply of the supplement. Data of intake and digestibility of nutrients, ruminal pH; ruminal ammonia nitrogen, and microbial protein synthesis were tested by analysis of variance and polynomial regression, adopting a significance level of 5%. The inclusion of copaiba oil quadratically affected total dry matter intake (P=0.030) and CP digestibility (P=0.043), without altering ruminal metabolism (P>0.05) and microbial protein synthesis (P>0.05) of the animals kept on pasture.

RESUMO. O uso de fontes proteicas alternativas para ruminantes pode alterar a produtividade e reduzir os custos na produção animal. O objetivo da pesquisa foi avaliar o desempenho, a digestibilidade aparente e as características quantitativas dos componentes de carcaça das ovelhas alimentadas com níveis crescentes (0, 50, 100 e 150 g kg-1 de matéria seca) de torta de crambe nas dietas. Foram distribuídas 24 ovelhas em um delineamento inteiramente casualizado. Todos os animais foram mantidos em instalação, com baias individuais equipadas com cocho, bebedouro e chão de concreto coberto com cascas de arroz. Os animais receberam silagem de milho como forragem e as dietas foram isoenergéticas com 700 g kg-1 de NDT. Os animais foram abatidos quando atingiram o escore de condição corporal de 3,5 pontos. A ingestão de matéria seca (948,53 g dia-1) e o ganho médio diário (0,15 kg dia-1) não foram influenciados pela inclusão de torta de crambe na dieta. A torta de crambe aumentou a digestibilidade do extrato etéreo e diminuiu a ingestão e digestibilidade da proteína bruta. Não houve efeito da torta de crambe nas características da carcaça e nos componentes não carcaça, no entanto houve redução no rendimento da carcaça fria. A substituição total da farinha de soja e a torta de crambe na dieta para as ovelhas não alteraram as características de desempenho, carcaça e não carcaça.

ABSTRACT. The use of alternative sources of protein for ruminant can alter productivity and reduce costs in animal production. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance, apparent digestibility and quantitative characteristics of carcass components of ewes fed increasing levels (0, 50, 100 and 150 g kg-1 dry matter) of crambe crushed in the diets. Twenty-four culling ewes were distributed in a completely randomized design. All animals were kept in a shed, with individual stalls equipped with feeder, drinker and concrete floor covered with rice hulls. The animals received corn silage as roughage and diets were isoenergetic with 700 g kg-1 of TDN. Animals were slaughtered when reached a body condition score of 3.5 points. The dry matter intake (948.53 g day-1) and average daily gain (0.15 kg day-1) were not influenced by the inclusion of crambe crushed in the diet. The crambe crushed increased ether extract digestibility and decreased crude protein intake and digestibility. There was no effect of the levels of crambe crushed on carcass characteristics and non-carcass components but rather a reduction in the cold carcass yield. Total replacement of soybean meal with crambe crushed in the diet for ewes did not alter performance, carcass and non-carcass characteristics.

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the replacement of soybean meal by crushed crambe on the qualitative characteristics, lipids, and chemical composition of the meat from crossbred Santa Ines ewes. These animals presented an initial body score of 2.5, were finished in confinement for 60 days, fed diets containing crushed crambe replacing 0, 33, 67, and 100% of soybean meal, and slaughtered with a body condition score of 3.5. The statistical design was completely randomized, with slaughter weight used as a covariate in the model. Sensory evaluations were performed in the gluteobiceps muscle by untrained evaluators (n = 100) of different ages. There was no significant effect for color, shear force, or cooking loss of the semimembranosus muscle. The replacement levels of soybean meal influenced only the moisture content, with a linear increase, and the ash content, which decreased linearly. For saturated fatty acids, there was linear effect on capric acid (C10:0), and a linear reduction of myristic (C14:0), pentadecanoic (C15:0), and heptadecanoic (C17:0) fatty acids. There was no influence of the inclusion level of crushed crambe on monounsaturated fatty acids. A linear increase was observed in the polyunsaturated fatty acids linoleic acid (C18:2n-6) and eicosatrienoic acid (C20:3n-3). For the sensory attributes, there were differences only for the variables flavor and tenderness, in which meat was considered more flavorful if it was from animals fed 0% crushed crambe, with an average of 1.6, and considered more tender if it was from animals finished with 15% crushed crambe in the diet, scoring an average of 1.7. Crushed crambe can be considered a promising alternative in the feeding of ewes finished in feedlot, replacing soybean meal in the diet, showing satisfactory results with respect to meat quality.