Resumen Antecedentes: la cáscara de café obtenida por procesamiento en seco presenta potencial de uso en la alimentación de rumiantes. Objetivo: Evaluar la composición química, la degradabilidad in situ de la materia seca (DM) y de la fibra detergente neutra (NDF) de la cascara de café tratada con óxido de calcio (CaO) en diferentes condiciones ambientales (EC). Métodos: la cáscara de café fue sometida a tratamientos distribuidos en un diseño factorial 2 x 2, dos dosis de CaO (0 a 5% en base seca), y dos condiciones ambientales (aeróbica y anaeróbica) en un diseño completamente al azar con cuatro repeticiones, totalizando dieciséis unidades experimentales. Las muestras de cinco gramos se incubaron en el rumen de dos bovinos machos durante 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96 y 120 horas. Resultados: para los parámetros cinéticos de degradación de la DM, a excepción de la fracción b, la degradabilidad potencial y efectiva fueron afectadas (p<0,05) por la interacción CaO × EC. En cuanto a los parámetros estimados de la degradación de la fibra, la fracción potencialmente degradable b presentó efecto (p<0,05) para CaO y EC. El tratamiento con CaO promovió un aumento de la fracción b en 4,08 puntos porcentuales. Conclusión: la utilización del CaO para el tratamiento de la cáscara de café aumenta la degradabilidad efectiva y potencial de la DM y reducción de la fracción no degradable de la fibra. La condición de anaerobiosis se constituye en el mejor ambiente para el tratamiento de la cascara de café con CaO.

Resumo Antecedentes: cascas de café obtidas pelo processamento a seco têm potencial de serem usadas na alimentação de ruminantes. Objetivo: avaliar a composição química, a degradabilidade in situ da matéria seca (DM) e da fibra em detergente neutro (NDF) da casca de café tratada com óxido de cálcio (CaO) em diferentes condições de ambiente (EC). Métodos: a casca de café foi submetida aos tratamentos, distribuídos em esquema fatorial 2 × 2, sendo duas doses de CaO (0 e 5% base da matéria seca) e duas condições de ambiente (aeróbico e anaeróbico), em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com quatro repetições, totalizando dezesseis unidades experimentais. Amostras de cinco gramas foram incubadas no rúmen de dois bovinos machos, nos tempos 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96 e 120 horas. Resultados: para os parâmetros cinéticos de degradação da DM, à exceção da fração b, a degradabilidade potencial e efetiva foram afetados (p<0,05) pela interação CaO × EC. Quanto aos parâmetros estimados da degradação da fibra, a fração potencialmente degradável (b) apresentou efeito (p<0,05) para CaO e EC. O tratamento com CaO promoveu aumento da fração b em 4,08 pontos percentuais. Conclusões: a utilização do CaO no tratamento da casca de café promove aumento da degradabilidade efetiva e potencial da DM e redução da fração indegradável da fibra. A condição de anaerobiose constitui-se no melhor ambiente para o tratamento da casca de café com CaO.

Abstract Background: Coffee hulls obtained from dry processing, have the potential to be used in ruminant diets. Objective: To evaluate the chemical composition and in situ degradability of dry matter (DM) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) of coffee hulls treated with calcium oxide (CaO) in different environmental conditions (EC). Methods: Coffee hulls were subjected to treatments distributed in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement, consisting of two levels of CaO (0 and 5%, on a DM basis) and two environmental conditions (aerobiosis and anaerobiosis) in a completely randomized design with four replicates, totaling sixteen experimental units. Five-gram samples were incubated in the rumen of two male cattle for 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96, and 120 h. Results: Regarding dry matter degradation kinetic parameters, except for fraction b, the potential and effective degradability was affected (p<0.05) by a CaO × EC interaction. As for estimated fiber degradation parameters, the potentially degradable fraction b was affected (p<0.05) by CaO and EC. Treatment with CaO increased fraction b in 4.08 percentage points. Conclusions: The use of CaO in the treatment of coffee hulls increases the effective and potential degradability of DM and reduces the undegradable fiber fraction. Anaerobic condition is the best environment for the treatment of coffee hulls with CaO.

Abstract Legume silage can increase the forage quality of the diets as well as supply it with nitrogen, calcium and phosphorus. The objective was to evaluate the intake, apparent digestibility, rumen fermentation and nitrogen efficiency in sheep fed a tropical legume silage with or without concentrate. Twelve crossbred sheep with an average initial body weight of 32.2 ± 1.26 kg, with six animals cannulated in the rumen were distributed into four 3 × 3 Latin squares. The treatments were 1) Stylosanthes silage without concentrate (StS), 2) Stylosanthes silage with concentrate (StS+C), and 3) corn silage with concentrate (CS+C). StS diet showed lowest intake, except for neutral detergent fiber (NDF). The diets StS+C and CS+C showed similar intake of dry matter (DM) and crude protein. The intake of total digestible nutrients was higher for CS+C diet than diets StS+C and StS. Animals fed CS+C diet had lowest ruminal pH. The nitrogen use efficiency was similar for the diets with concentrate. In conclusion, StS+C diet replacing CS+C diet decreases the intake of total digestible nutrients.

Dental caries is a transmissible infectious disease in which mutans streptococci are generally considered to be the main etiological agents. Although the transmissibility of dental caries is relatively well established in the literature, little is known whether information regarding this issue is correctly provided to the population. The present study aimed at evaluating, by means of a questionnaire, the knowledge and usual attitude of 640 parents and caretakers regarding the transmissibility of caries disease. Most interviewed adults did not know the concept of dental caries being an infectious and transmissible disease, and reported the habit of blowing and tasting food, sharing utensils and kissing the children on their mouth. 372 (58.1%) adults reported that their children had already been seen by a dentist, 264 (41.3%) answered that their children had never gone to a dentist, and 4 (0.6%) did not know. When the adults were asked whether their children had already had dental caries, 107 (16.7%) answered yes, 489 (76.4%) answered no, and 44 (6.9%) did not know. Taken together, these data reinforce the need to provide the population with some important information regarding the transmission of dental caries in order to facilitate a more comprehensive approach towards the prevention of the disease.