ABSTRACT The Pantaneira breed is in danger of extinction. Due to the lack of scientific information on the Pantanal milk potential, this work had the objective of determining the lactation period and a physical-chemical composition of the milk of cows in second order of parturition. The animals were managed in a pasture system rotated in mombaça grass (Panicum maximum) and individually supplemented with concentrate. The milking was performed mechanically twice a day and the milk weighed daily. The physical-chemical characteristics of the milk were evaluated by the ultrasound method and the lactation curves were estimated using the univariate parameter. The average milk yield was 5.34kg/milk/ day and the fat, protein, lactose and total non-fat solids contents were 5.3, 3.7, 6.0 and 10.7%, respectively. Lactation of the cows in second order of calving ended naturally at 180 days and the peak of milk production was reached between 51 and 60 days. Furthermore, there was no difference in milk composition in the different lactation periods.

Objetivou-se avaliar a utilização da silagem de sorgo, feno de maniçoba e duas proporções de concentrado (10 e 15% na MS) em dietas à base de palma forrageira na alimentação de vacas em lactação. Foram utilizadas oito vacas da raça Girolando, com peso vivo médio e produção inicial de 463 e 9,65kg, respectivamente, com 95 dias de lactação. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o quadrado latino 4x4 em esquema fatorial 2x2 (feno de maniçoba e silagem de sorgo x 10% e 15% de concentrado), sendo utilizados dois quadrados simultâneos. Cada período experimental teve duração de 21 dias, sendo 14 de adaptação e sete para coleta de dados e amostras. Não houve interação entre volumosos e proporções de concentrado para nenhuma das variáveis avaliadas. Assim, os fatores foram analisados e discutidos separadamente. Os consumos de proteína bruta, fibra em detergente neutro e nutrientes digestíveis totais diferiram em função dos volumosos utilizados, com menores consumos para o feno de maniçoba (1,50; 4,10; 6,17kg/dia, respectivamente). A digestibilidade aparente da matéria seca, matéria orgânica, proteína bruta e fibra em detergente neutro diferiram de acordo com os volumosos, verificando menores valores para o feno de maniçoba (51,70; 53,91; 62,30 e 20,74%, respectivamente). A produção de leite com ou sem correção para 4% de gordura (9,65 e 9,1kg/dia, respectivamente) e composição do leite não diferiram entre os volumosos, nem entre os níveis de concentrados. A eficiência de síntese de proteína microbiana diferiu entre os volumosos, sendo menor no tratamento com silagem de sorgo (99,46g/kg de NDT). A concentração de ureia no plasma diferiu entre as proporções de concentrado, com menores valores na dieta com 15% de concentrado (31,41mg/dL). Para o atendimento das exigências nutricionais e redução dos custos com suplementação, sugere-se o fornecimento de silagem de sorgo como volumoso e a proporção de 10% de concentrado na dieta de vacas em lactação.

The trial was conducted to evaluate the use of sorghum silage, maniçoba hay, and two concentrate levels (10.0% and 15.0% DM) in diets based on spineless cactus of dairy cows. Eight Girolando cows were used with average body weight and milk yield of 463 and 9.65kg, respectively, with 95 days of lactation. The experimental design was a 4 x 4 Latin Square in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement (maniçoba hay and sorghum silage x 10.0% and 15.0% of concentrate), two simultaneous Latin Square were used. Each experimental period lasted 21 days; 14 days for adaptation and seven for data and sample collection. There was no interaction between roughage and concentrate level for any of the variables. Thereby the factors were analyzed and discussed separately. The intake of crude protein, neutral detergent fiber and total digestible nutrients differ according to roughage used with lower intake for maniçoba hay (1.50; 4.10; 6.17kg/day, respectively). The apparent digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein and neutral detergent fiber differed according to the roughage, and lower values were found for maniçoba hay (51.70; 53.91 and 20.74%, respectively). The milk yield with and without adjustment to 4.0% of fat (9.65 and 9.1kg/day, respectively) and the milk composition did not differ between roughages or between concentrate levels. The efficiency of microbial protein synthesis differs between roughages and was lower in the treatment with sorghum (99.46g/kg TDN). The concentration of plasma urea differed between the ratios of concentrate with lower amounts in the diet with 15.0% concentrate (1.41mg/dL). To meet the nutritional requirements and cost reduction with supplementation a supply with sorghum silage as roughage and 100% of concentrate for diet of lactation cows is suggested.

It was hypothesized that maize steep liquor, which is high in crude protein, could replace soybean meal in supplementation strategies in lamb production systems. Therefore, the effects of replacing soybean meal with maize steep liquor at 0%, 33%, 66% and 100% on a dry matter (DM) basis on growth performance, nutrient digestibility and carcass characteristics were assessed in feedlot lambs. Thirty-two Santa Inés intact male lambs, with an average initial weight of 21.0 ± 2.3 kg, were assigned to a completely randomized block design with four treatments and eight replicates. Intake of DM, organic matter, ether extract, neutral detergent fibre and total digestible nutrients were not affected by the diets. However, the intake of crude protein (CP) was reduced by 0.2 g/day for each 1% increase in the replacement level of soybean meal with maize steep liquor. Replacement of soybean meal with maize steep liquor in the diets did not affect the apparent digestibility of nutrients with the exception of CP, which decreased by 14.1 g/kg DM for each 1% increase in the replacement level of soybean meal. Similar trends were observed for average daily gain, hot carcass weight, cold carcass weight, hot carcass yield and cold carcass yield. From these results, soybean meal could be replaced by up to 100% with maize steep liquor in finishing diets for feedlot lambs.