ABSTRACT. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the inclusion of sunflower cake replacing soybean meal in beef cattle diets on the in vitro digestibility of dry matter (IVDDM), organic matter (IVDOM), crude protein (IVDCP) and the ruminal fermentation kinetics and parameters. The experiment was analyzed according to a completely randomized design. The treatments consisted of four levels of sunflower cake, 0, 200, 400, 600 g kg-1, replacing soybean meal in the concentrate of beef cattle diets. The coefficients of IVDDM, IVDOM and IVDCP presented a quadratic effect with the addition of sunflower cake. The soluble fraction (fraction B) degradation rate and total gas production decreased linearly with the inclusion of sunflower cake. Values of pH in ruminal fluid were higher for levels 0, 200 and 600 g kg-1 sunflower cake. Sunflower cake can replace soybean meal by up to 280 g kg-1 in the concentrate of beef cattle diets, improving the in vitro digestibility of dry matter organic, matter and crude protein. Levels above 400 g kg-1 reduce ruminal digestion rate, digestibility and release of final fermentation products.

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.

Avaliou-se a influência da substituição do farelo de soja pela torta de crambe no suplemento concentrado sobre o desempenho e as características de carcaça de vacas em pastejo, nas proporções 0, 5, 10, 15%. O delineamento foi inteiramente casualizado, em que foram utilizadas 20 vacas Nelore, que foram suplementadas durante a época de transição água - seca em pastagem de Brachiaria humidicola, e monitoradas quanto ao peso e condição corporal a cada 28 dias. Na pastagem foram quantificadas a massa de forragem total e as proporções de folha, colmo e material senescente. A estimativa da qualidade da forragem consumida pelos animais foi feita pelo método do pastejo simulado. O desempenho dos animais e as características de carcaça não apresentaram diferenças significativas entre os níveis de inclusão de torta de crambe estudados. Deste modo, não foram influenciados os pesos e os rendimentos de carcaça, os cortes comerciais brasileiros, as medidas morfométricas, as características do lombo, a espessura de gordura da carcaça, a gordura perirenal-pélvica, bem como a quantidade de carne aproveitável total. A substituição do farelo de soja pela torta de crambe até 15% no suplemento concentrado não afeta o desempenho e as características de carcaça de vacas terminadas a pasto.

The influence of the replacement of soybean meal by crambe crushed in concentrated supplement at proportions 0, 5, 10, 15%, on the performance and carcass traits of grazing cows is assessed. Within a completely randomized design, twenty Nellore cows, fed on Brachiaria humidicola, were supplemented during the rain-drought transition period and monitored with regard to weight and body conditions every 28 days. Total forage mass and percentages of leaf, stem and senescent material were quantified in loco. The estimation of forage quality consumed by animals was performed by the simulated grazing method. There were no significant differences between the levels of inclusion of crambe crushed on animal performance or carcass characteristics. Replacement did not affect weight, carcass yield, Brazilian commercial cuts, morphometric measures of carcass, characteristics of loins, thickness of carcass fat, perirenal-pelvic fat and total meat. Replacement of soybean meal by crambe crushed up to 15% in the concentrated supplement does not affect performance and carcass characteristics of cows finished on pasture.