ABSTRACT: The present study evaluated the effect of increasing levels of wet brewery residue (WBR) as a source of roughage on nutrient intake, performance and ingestive behaviour in lambs finished in confinement. Thirty-two uncastrated male lambs were used, weaned at 50 days of age. The treatments comprised increasing levels of WBR as roughage in the diet: 31, 44, 57 and 70%, on a dry-matter. The concentrate consisted of disintegrated corn, soybean meal, calcitic limestone and mineral salt. There was a quadratic effect (P ≤ 0.05) from the increasing levels of WBR on the intake of DM, OM, CP and TCH. The intake of EE, NDF and ADF increased linearly (P ≤ 0.01), while TDN intake showed a linear reduction (P < .0001) for increases in the level of WBR. There was a quadratic effect (P ≤ 0.010) on the average daily weight gain (ADG) from the addition of WBR to the diet. The time spent on feeding and rumination (P ≤ 0.05), expressed in minutes, showed a linear increase. Feeding rate for DM showed decreasing linear behaviour (P ≤ 0.006), while NDF rumination rate showed increasing linear behaviour (P ≤ 0.013) due to the increased levels of WBR in the diet. There was a linear increase in the time spent on each feeding activity (P ≤ 0.007) with the increase in WBR in the diet. Maximum weight gain is achieved when 46.9% WBR is used as a source of roughage in the diet, and this level can be recommended for terminating lambs in confinement.

RESUMO: O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar o efeito de níveis crescentes de resíduo úmido de cervejaria (RUC) como fonte de volume sobre o consumo de nutrientes, desempenho e comportamento ingestivo de cordeiros terminados em confinamento. Foram utilizados 32 cordeiros machos não castrados, desmamados aos 50 dias de idade. Os tratamentos consistiram em níveis crescentes de RUC como volumoso na dieta: 31, 44, 57 e 70%, na matéria seca. O concentrado consistia em milho desintegrado, farelo de soja, calcário calcítico e sal mineral. Houve efeito quadrático (P ≤ 0,05) dos níveis crescentes de RUC sobre o consumo de MS, MO, PB e CHT. O consumo de EE, FDN e FDA aumentou linearmente (P < .0001), enquanto o consumo de NDT apresentou redução linear (P < .0001) para aumentos no nível de WBR. Houve um efeito quadrático (P ≤ 0,010) no ganho de peso médio diário (GMD) da adição de RUC à dieta. O tempo gasto com alimentação e ruminação (P ≤ 0,05) e para mastigação total (P ≤ 0,003), expresso em minutos, apresentou aumento linear. A taxa de alimentação para MS apresentou comportamento linear decrescente (P ≤ 0,006), enquanto a taxa de ruminação da FDN apresentou comportamento linear crescente (P ≤ 0,013) devido ao aumento dos níveis de RUC na dieta. Houve aumento linear no tempo gasto em cada atividade alimentar (P ≤ 0,007) com o aumento da RUC na dieta. O ganho de peso máximo é alcançado quando 46,9% de RUC é usado como fonte de volumoso na dieta, e este nível pode ser recomendado para cordeiros terminados em confinamento.

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of carcass and non-carcass components of lambs and hoggets finished in the feedlot with high-concentrate corn or sorghum grain-based diets. Thirty-two animals were finished, comprising 16 lambs (milk teeth) and 16 hoggets (two teeth), which were distributed in a completely randomized design in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement (two sheep categories × two grains). For the variables final live weight, live weight at slaughter, hot carcass weight, cold carcass weight, hot carcass yield, cold carcass yield, carcass compactness index, subjective color, loin-eye area, fasting losses, external organs, internal organs, and for the weights, in kilograms, of neck, shoulder, ribs, and leg, there was a significant difference between categories. In the variables studied for the high-concentrate diets, significant differences were found for the ribs, expressed in relative values. Lambs have much higher fasting losses, a greater proportion of internal organs, and lighter-colored meat compared with hoggets. Hot and cold carcass yields, meat subjective color, and percentage of ribs are higher in feedlot-finished lambs and hoggets fed high-concentrate sorghum-based diets compared with those fed corn-based diets.