Effect of replacement of forage sorghum silage with biomass sorghum silage in diets for dairy heifers

This trial aimed to analyze the replacement of forage sorghum silage (FS silage) with biomass sorghum silage (BRS 716 silage) in diets for heifers ¾ Holstein x ¼ Zebu on their nutrient intake and digestibility, nitrogen balance, microbial production, feeding behavior, and animal performance. Eight heifers with average age 18±4 months (mo) and average body weight (BW) 271 ± 57 kg were used. The experimental design was double-Latin square, 4×4, being four diets, four experimental periods and four animals. Four experimental diets with 0, 33, 67 and 100% substitution of forage sorghum silage with biomass sorghum silage were used. The roughage:concentrate ratio in the total dry matter (DM) of the diets was 75:25. The fraction “b” of DM was higher in the BRS 716 silage. There was no difference (p> 0.05) for dry matter intake (DMI; p = 0.45) and total digestible nutrients intake (p = 0.76). The dry matter digestibility (DMD), crude protein, ether extract and neutral detergent fiber increased linearly with the inclusion of BRS 716 silage. The feeding times, ruminating and idle have not been changed (p > 0.05). The replacement of FS silage with BRS 716 silage did not modify the average daily weight gain (ADG; p > 0.05; mean 1.30 ± 0.025 kg). Biomass sorghum silage can replace up to 100% forage sorghum silage in the diets of ¾ Holstein x ¼ Zebu heifers.

Effect of Silage Diet (Sweet Sorghum vs. Whole-Crop Corn) and Breed on Growth Performance, Carcass Traits, and Meat Quality of Lambs

Diet and breed directly affect ruminant carcass traits and meat quality. Therefore, this research aimed to evaluate the effect of silage diet and breed on growth performance, carcass traits, and meat quality of lambs. A total of 28, 3–4 months old female lambs consisting of 14 Dorper lambs (DP) and 14 Thin-tailed Han lambs (TH) were allocated in a 2 × 2 factorial design and offered two experimental diets (sweet sorghum silage: SS; whole-crop corn silage: WS) for 90 days. Lambs fed the WS diet had a higher growth performance (p < 0.01), intramuscular fat content (p < 0.05), and bright meat color (p < 0.01) than lambs fed the SS diet. The lambs fed the SS diet showed a higher polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content than the lambs fed the WS diet (p < 0.01); there was no significant difference in growth performance and carcass characteristics between DP and TH lambs (p > 0.05). The meat of the DP lambs showed lower values of initial pH, shear force, lightness (L*), redness (a*), and saturated fatty acid (SFA) content (p < 0.05). The lamb breed influenced fewer variables of growth performance and carcass characteristics compared to the diet. The lambs fed the SS diet had higher nutritional quality meat than lambs fed the WS diet.

327 Effects of Inclusion of Amaferm on Animal Performance, Chewing Activity, and Nutrient Digestibility of Backgrounding Beef Heifers Fed Either a Sorghum Silage- or a Byproducts-based Diet

Eighty-four Angus crossbred heifers (13 ± 1 mo, 329.5 ± 61.92 kg of BW) were used in a generalized randomized block design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. The objective was to evaluate the effect of a feed additive inclusion under two growing diets. Factors included: 1) diet type (whole plant sorghum silage- or byproducts-based diet) and 2) feed additive inclusion [Amaferm (Aspergillus oryzae (extract)] included at 0 or 0.02% of the diet DM. This resulted in four treatments: sorghum-control (SC), sorghum-amaferm (SA), byproducts-control (BC) and byproducts-amaferm (BA). Heifers were housed in 12 pens (108 m2/pen; 7 heifers/ pen) equipped with GrowSafe technology, to measure individual dry matter intake (DMI). After a 14-d adaptation, BW was measured every 14 d, during 56 days, and chewing activity was monitored through collar-mounted HR-Tags (SCR Engineers Ltd., Netanya, Israel). Apparent total tract digestibility was measured on 10 heifers per treatment after the 56-d performance period, using indigestible NDF as a marker. Heifers fed the byproducts diet had (P ≤ 0.01) greater DMI as % of BW (2.92 vs. 2.59%) and greater average daily gain (1.16 vs. 0.68 kg/d). Amaferm improved gain-to-feed ratio by 15% in the byproducts diet (P ≤ 0.05) but it had no effect in the sorghum silage diet (P = 0.59). Conversely, Amaferm inclusion increased apparent total tract organic matter digestibility in the sorghum silage diet (SC = 49.8 vs. SA = 55.9%; P ≤ 0.01), whereas reduced it in the byproducts diet (BC = 65.8 vs. BA = 61.7%; P ≤ 0.05). Heifers fed a sorghum silage-based diet had (P ≤ 0.01) 39 and 63% greater chewing in min/d and min/kg of DMI, respectively; however, chewing in min/kg of NDF intake was similar across diets (average 111.3 min/kg of NDF intake).

Zootechnic and economic indicators of termination in feedlot of different genetic groups of lambs

The objective of this work was to evaluate the performance, carcass traits and economic indicators of Santa Inês lambs and their crossings finished in feedlot. Thirty whole lambs (10 Santa Inês, 10 ½ Dorper + ½ Santa Inês and 10 ¾ Dorper + ¼ Santa Inês) were used, with 115 days of age and initial live weight of 20.07 kg. The lambs were kept for 60 days receiving sorghum silage and concentrate, after which they were slaughtered. The ¾ Dorper + ¼ Santa Inês lambs and the ½ Dorper + ½ Santa Inês lambs showed higher of dry matter intake and water intake, greater daily weight gain and body score in relation to Santa Inês lambs. The carcasses of ¾ Dorper + ¼ Santa Inês lambs showed better conformation, finishing and marbling. The gross profit margin showed positive values for all genetic groups, covering the effective operating cost. Dorper crossbred lambs had a higher gross margin compared to Santa Inês lambs. The cost of the diet represented on average 61.35% of the price paid per kilo of sheep meat. In the sheep meat production system, the genetic group influences the zootechnical and economic indicators of finishing feedlot of lambs.

Triticale silage replaces sorghum silage in finishing of Braford heifers

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of sorghum silage substitution with different proportions of triticale silage on the performance and carcass of Braford heifers. Twenty-four Braford heifers were randomly assigned to four diets where sorghum silage was replaced at 0%, 30%, 60%, and 100% for triticale silage in a feedlot system. During sixty-tree days of the experiment, the feed intake, feed ratio conversion, and average daily gain were measured. The heifers were slaughtered and the effects of the sorghum and triticale silage in carcass characteristics were evaluated. The replacement of sorghum silage with triticale silage did not affect the feed intake and average daily gain (P> 0.05). Feed gain ratio was higher for the heifers that received lower proportions of triticale silage (0% and 30%) in replace sorghum silage (P <0.05). Eye loin area and fat thickness were similar among treatments (P<0.05). Other carcass characteristics, such as slaughter live weight, dressing percentage, conformation and fat classification were similar among experimental treatments (P<0.005). Triticale silage can replace sorghum silage for finishing beef heifers in feedlot system and provides similar carcass characteristics.

Total Replacement of Millet Silage with BRS-716 Biomass Sorghum Silage in Crossbred Dairy Heifers Diets: Nutrient Intake and Digestibility, Microbial Protein Synthesis, Ingestive Behavior, and Growth Performance

This study addressed the different proportions of millet and sorghum silage biomass BRS 716 (BRS-716 silage) in the diet of crossbred heifers ½ to ¾ Holstein x Zebu on their nutrient intake, and digestibility, microbial protein synthesis, nitrogen balance, ingestive behavior, and growth performance. Five experimental diets with 0, 25/75, 50/50, 75/25, and 100% of BRS-716 silage in compared to millet silage were evaluated. The roughage: concentrate ratio in the total dry matter (DM) of the diets was 75:25. The diets were evaluated in ten heifers with an initial body weight of 264.95 ± 19.4 kg (± SEM), following the experimental design in two 5 x 5 Latin squares, simultaneously. The increase in the proportion of BRS-716 silage in the diet of crossbred dairy heifers did not change the dry matter intake (DMI), total digestible nutrients, indigestible neutral detergent fiber (iNDFI), and metabolizable energy. The means observed for DMI, and iNDFI were 7.85 kg/day, and 1.18 kg/day, respectively. For the excretion of purine derivatives, and microbial synthesis, there was no significant effect (P > 0.05), the mean microbial crude protein synthesis was 503.37 g/day. The different proportions of the BRS-716 silage, and millet silage did not change the final body weight (P = 0.89), weight gain (P = 0.08), feed efficiency (P = 0.50), and the body measurements of heifers (P > 0.05). The final body weight and average daily gain of heifers were 278.46 kg, and 0.795 kg/day, respectively. The millet silage, and BRS-716 silage in the diet of crossbred Holstein x Zebu heifers, used exclusively or combined in different proportions, allow dry matter intake, and nutrients, digestibility, nitrogen balance, microbial crude protein synthesis, ingestive behavior, and performance similar body.