Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate high-concentrate diets and two energy sources on intake, performance and meat quality parameters of feedlot Nellore heifers. Twenty-eight heifers (200 ± 22.5 kg BW) were randomly assigned to four treatments in a 2×2 factorial arrangement: two concentrate levels (70 and 80%) and two energy sources (corn and corn germ meal). At the end of day 112, heifers were slaughtered. There was no interaction (P>0.05) of concentrate levels and energy sources for dry matter intake, unlike crude protein (CP) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) intakes. The concentrate level of 80% and corn, allowed the highest CP (1.17 kg/day) and NDF (4.05 kg/day) intakes. Final BW (P<0.05) and daily gain (P<0.01) were influenced just by energy source. The carcass composition represented by muscle and fat was affected by concentrate level (P<0.05). Treatments affected (P<0.01) carcass fat deposition, global preference and texture of Longissimus muscle (P<0.05). It was concluded that high proportions of concentrate containing corn as energy source provided the best performance in heifers, and that the total replacement of corn with corn germ meal in high-concentrate diets is not recommended for performance Nellore heifers, but provided good sensory quality to the meat.

Comparou-se a eficácia do esterco bovino e húmus de minhoca na produção de repolho, híbrido Matsukaze, em experimento realizado no Centro de Ciências Agrárias da UFPB, Areia, de 10/12/97 a 05/03/98. Os tratamentos utilizados foram 20; 30; 40; 50 e 60 t/ha de esterco bovino e 10; 15; 20; 25 e 30 t/ha de húmus de minhoca e tratamento testemunha (sem matéria orgânica). O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o de blocos casualizados com onze tratamentos distribuídos em esquema fatorial (5 x 2) + 1, em quatro repetições. Foram avaliados o diâmetro longitudinal, transversal, índice de formato e compacidade da cabeça, peso médio e produção total de cabeças. A dose de 46,0 t/ha de esterco bovino e 29,0 t/ha de húmus de minhoca resultaram em maiores diâmetros longitudinais na cabeça de repolho (13 e 12 cm, respectivamente). A dose de 47,0 t/ha de esterco bovino e 20,0 t/ha de humus de minhoca proporcionaram a formação de cabeças com maiores diâmetros transversais (13 e 11 cm, respectivamente). Todas as doses de esterco bovino induziram a formação de cabeças mais uniformes e compactas, enquanto a dose de 20 t/ha de húmus de minhoca propiciou a formação de cabeças desuniformes de baixa aceitação comercial. A dose de 41,0 t/ha de esterco bovino promoveu máximo peso médio (900 g) e máxima produtividade (47,0 t/ha) de cabeças, enquanto as doses de 27,0 e 29,0 t/ha de húmus foram responsáveis pelo peso médio máximo (700 g) e máxima produtividade (38,0 t/ha), respectivamente.

The use of bovine manure and earthworm compost were compared in cabbage production, hybrid Matsukaze, at the Federal University of Paraíba, Brazil, from December 1997 to March, 1998. The treatments consisted of 20; 30; 40; 50 and 60 t/ha of bovine manure and 10; 15; 20; 25 and 30 t/ha of earthworm compost and a treatment without organic matter (control). The experimental design was of randomized blocks, with eleven treatments arranged in a factorial scheme (5 x 2) + 1, with four replications. The longitudinal and transversal diameters, format index and head compactness, average weight and total production of heads were evaluated. The level of 46.0 t/ha of bovine manure and 29.0 t/ha of earthworm compost resulted in larger longitudinal diameters of cabbage heads (13 and 12 cm, respectively). The level of 47.0 t/ha of bovine manure and 20.0 t/ha of earthworm compost provided heads with larger transversal diameters (13 and 11 cm). All bovine manure levels induced the formation of more uniform and compact heads, while the use of 20 t/ha of earthworm compost resulted in not uniform heads with low commercial value. The level of 41.0 t/ha of bovine manure promoted maximum average head weight (900 g) and yield (47.0 t/ha), while the use of 27.0 t/ha of earthworm compost was responsible for the maximum average head weight (700 g) and yield (38.0 t/ha), respectively.