RESUMEN

The use of goats for meat production faces challenges from environmental and nutritional factors. Urea is an affordable non-protein nitrogen source commonly utilized in ruminant nutrition. The objective of this study was to investigate nitrogen utilization in goats fed low-quality hay supplemented with molasses blocks containing urea. Twenty Anglo-Nubian doelings were individually housed in metabolic cages and provided with chopped Buffelgrass (Cenchrus ciliaris) hay ad libitum. Goats were randomly assigned to four urea levels (0, 2, 4, and 6%; n = 5 per treatment) in molasses blocks for a duration of 30 days. A negative nitrogen balance (-2.458 g/day) was observed in doelings consuming blocks without urea, compared with a positive balance (0.895 g/d) for those consuming the 6% urea blocks. Block nitrogen intake significantly increased with urea level, but urea supplementation did not affect dry matter (DM) or neutral detergent fiber (NDFom) intake or digestibility. A minimum crude protein (CP) requirement of 8% for maintenance in doelings consuming low-quality forage with a urea-based supplement was determined through regression analysis between CP intake (% of DM) and N balance (r2 = 0.479; p < 0.002). The value of 8% of CP obtained in this study is similar to several previous studies reported in the literature, but in this case, the increments in CP came exclusively from urea. In this study, increasing the urea content of molasses blocks up to 6% significantly increased nitrogen intake, retention, and balance in goats. These results contribute to a better understanding of nitrogen utilization in goats fed low-quality hay with urea supplementation.

RESUMEN

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the use of post-ruminal urea on performance, nitrogen metabolism and the ruminal environment of Nellore cattle reared on pasture during the dry season. In experiment 1 (Exp. 1), nine ruminal-cannulated Nellore steers, 30 ± 2 months old (651 ± 45 kg body weight (BW)), were allotted to a 3 × 3 Latin triple square. In experiment 2 (Exp. 2), 84 Nellore bulls, 18 ± 3 months old (315 ± 84 kg BW), were distributed in complete randomized blocks, by initial BW. Protein supplements were supplied daily, in the amount of 2 g/kg BW, and consisted of either CONT: protein + conventional urea (50% CP), PRU: protein + post ruminal urea (50% CP) and U + PRU: protein + urea conventional + post-ruminal urea (70% CP). The paddocks were composed of Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu grass. In Exp. 1, there was no treatment effect for DM, OM, NDF, forage intake, and CP, but there was a higher intake for PRU (p < 0.005) and a higher digestibility for U+ PRU (p = 0.001). There was no effect on ruminal pH or NH3-N concentration (p ≥ 0.232), but there was an interaction between treatment and time for them (p < 0.039). Furthermore, there was a treatment effect on the total SCFA concentration, with CONT being higher than the others. A difference in the acetate:propionate ratio was found (p < 0.027), with a greater relationship for PRU and U + PRU. A treatment effect (p = 0.049) was found for the propionate proportion, with a higher proportion in the CONT. Nitrogen intake was consequently lower for the CONT and higher urinary excretion for the U + PRU (p = 0.002). Animals supplemented with CONT showed a tendency to have more Bacteria and fewer Archaea (p = 0.086). In Exp. 2, there was a treatment effect for the disappearance rate of the supplement (p < 0.001). Intake was faster for PRU and CONT, but performance was not affected by PRU (p = 0.311). The use of post-ruminal urea alters the microbial population, but does not affect performance. Therefore, supplementation with post-ruminal urea presented similar results compared to conventional urea. Ruminal and blood parameters and animal performance were not influenced by treatments.

RESUMEN

This study aimed to investigate the effects of chitosan and whole raw soybean on nutrient intake, apparent digestibility, nitrogen utilization, microbial protein synthesis, blood metabolites, feeding behavior, ruminal fermentation, digesta kinetics, and reticular flow of nutrients of buffaloes. Four ruminally-cannulated Murrah buffaloes (351 ± 15 kg of initial BW) were randomly assigned according to a 4 × 4 Latin square design. Treatments were arranged as 2 × 2 factorial arrangement: the first factor was whole raw soybean (WRS), and the second factor was chitosan (CHI) with or without their inclusion in diets. Intake and apparent digestibility of ether extract (p < .01; p = .04, respectively), non-fiber carbohydrates intake (p = .03) and apparent ruminal digestibility of dry matter (p = .01) were affected by diets. An interaction effect or tendency was observed for microbial nitrogen (p = .09), concentrations, ruminal ammonia nitrogen (p = .05), total volatile fatty acid (p = .03). Association of chitosan with whole raw soybean has potential effects as a modulator of rumen fermentation; therefore, chitosan can be applied as an alternative non-ionophore for Murrah buffaloes.

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The effects of divergent phenotypic classification in crossbreed Holstein × Gyr dairy heifers for methane emissions in relation to performance, digestibility, energy and nitrogen partition, blood metabolites and temperature of body surface were evaluated. Thirty-five heifers were classified as high and low emission for CH4 production (g/day), yield (g/kg dry matter intake) and intensity (g/kg average daily gain). Digestibility was evaluated by total collection of feces and urine. Gas exchanges were obtained in open-circuit respiratory chambers. A completely randomized design was used and divergent groups were compared by Fisher's test. No differences were found in intake traits between groups of CH4 production and intensity. The low yield group had higher intake. For digestibility and temperature at different body sites were no differences between variables. High production group had higher energy losses as methane and heat production. Low intensity group had higher digestible energy, energy balance and ratio between metabolizable and digestible energy. Urinary nitrogen was 14.3% lower for low production group. There was a difference between methane yield divergent groups for nitrogen intake, digestible and retained. Energy and nitrogen partitioning traits are correlated to the animals divergent for methane production and yield. The low production group presented lower blood insulin concentration. It was not possible to identify divergent animals for CH4 emission using the infrared thermography technique.

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Experiments were conducted to estimate daily N maintenance requirements (NMRs) and the genetic potential for daily N retention (NRmax T) of pullets in growth phase. Three nitrogen balance trials were conducted, and a total of 48 Hy-line W-36 pullets were used in each trial in age periods (starter: 14-28, grower: 56-70 and developer: 98-112 days). The treatments consisted of six graded levels of nitrogen in the diets (L1 = 8, L2 = 16, L3 = 24, L4 = 32, L5 = 40 and L6 = 48 g N/kg of feed), formulated using the dilution technique. The regression analyses between nitrogen intake and nitrogen excretion were performed to fit the exponential function and to determine the NMR. The daily NMRs that were estimated at 294, 331 and 355 mg/BWkg 0.67 for the initial, grower and developer periods, respectively, were applied for further calculation of NRmax T as the threshold value of the function between N intake and daily N balance. The NRmax T was estimated by a statistical procedure following several iteration steps by the Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm until the sum of the squares of the residual was minimized. The NRmax T was estimated at 3,200, 2,633 and 1,826 mg/BWkg 0.67 for starter, grower and developer periods respectively. The determined model parameters were the precondition for modelling of the amino acid requirement based on an exponential N-utilization model and depended on performance and dietary amino acid efficiency. This procedure will be further developed and applied in the subsequent study.

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Ericoid mycorrhiza can improve the competitiveness of their host plants at the ecosystem level. The ability of ericoid mycorrhizal fungi to thrive under harsh environmental conditions suggests that they are capable of decomposing plant organic matter. This study aims to characterize 2 strains of root-cultivable endophytic fungi, RooDK1 and RooDK6, from Rhododendron ovatum Planch using colony and hyphal morphology, molecular analysis, observations of mycorrhiza, and investigations of adaptation to different sources of organic matter. Nitrogen utilization was also investigated by assessing protease production and growth on different nitrogen sources. Morphological studies indicated that both species are ericoid mycorrhizal fungi; our molecular studies confirmed RooDK1 as Oidiodendron maius and classified RooDK6 as Pezicula ericae. We observed that only RooDK1 can assist in host plant survival by degrading organic matter. This species also secretes protease and has the highest nitrate reductase activity of these 2 endophytes. Thus, RooDK1 has a greater ability to help the host plants thrive in a harsh habitat.

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The increased productivity or yield advantage provided by intercropping is attributed to a better use of resources by crops grown in mixtures, as compared to the same species grown in sole stands. In an intercropping system with upland rice and cowpea, the intra and inter-competition was quantified, as affected by plant population density and rate of nitrogen. Reductions in number of panicles per rice plant and number of grains per panicle were obtained with high density in both sole and mixture rice populations. Increasing nitrogen rate did not affect yield and yield components in both populations, but number and weight of pods per plant of cowpea in sole stands increased. Land equivalent ratios exceeding unity were obtained, indicating an improved resource use by the crop mixture. Relative crowding coefficient and aggressivity indices showed cowpea to be the dominant crop, with rice being dominated. Nitrogen utilization efficiency was high with intercrops, but was generally poor in stands of high population density.

O aumento em produtividade devido a plantios consorciados é atribuído ao melhor uso dos recursos presentes pelas plantas em desenvolvimento conjunto, em comparação às mesmas espécies crescendo em dosséis separados. Em um sistema consorciado de arroz e guandu quantificou-se as inter- e intra competições em relação à densidade populacional e taxa de aplicação de nitrogênio. Reduções significativas do número de panículas por planta de arroz e número de grãos por panícula foram observados para alta densidade, tanto para culturas solteira de arroz como em populações mistas. O aumento das doses de nitrogênio não afetou a produção e os componentes de produção em ambos os sistemas, ao passo que o número e peso de vagens por planta do guandu aumentaram em culturas solteiras. Foram obtidas razões de área equivalente maiores que a unidade, mostrando melhoria no uso da terra nas culturas mistas. O coeficiente relativo de superpopulação e os índices de agressividade mostraram que o guandu é dominante e o arroz dominado. A eficiência do uso de nitrogênio foi alta nas culturas consorciadas, mas em geral baixa para populações de alta densidade.

RESUMEN

The increased productivity or yield advantage provided by intercropping is attributed to a better use of resources by crops grown in mixtures, as compared to the same species grown in sole stands. In an intercropping system with upland rice and cowpea, the intra and inter-competition was quantified, as affected by plant population density and rate of nitrogen. Reductions in number of panicles per rice plant and number of grains per panicle were obtained with high density in both sole and mixture rice populations. Increasing nitrogen rate did not affect yield and yield components in both populations, but number and weight of pods per plant of cowpea in sole stands increased. Land equivalent ratios exceeding unity were obtained, indicating an improved resource use by the crop mixture. Relative crowding coefficient and aggressivity indices showed cowpea to be the dominant crop, with rice being dominated. Nitrogen utilization efficiency was high with intercrops, but was generally poor in stands of high population density.

O aumento em produtividade devido a plantios consorciados é atribuído ao melhor uso dos recursos presentes pelas plantas em desenvolvimento conjunto, em comparação às mesmas espécies crescendo em dosséis separados. Em um sistema consorciado de arroz e guandu quantificou-se as inter- e intra competições em relação à densidade populacional e taxa de aplicação de nitrogênio. Reduções significativas do número de panículas por planta de arroz e número de grãos por panícula foram observados para alta densidade, tanto para culturas solteira de arroz como em populações mistas. O aumento das doses de nitrogênio não afetou a produção e os componentes de produção em ambos os sistemas, ao passo que o número e peso de vagens por planta do guandu aumentaram em culturas solteiras. Foram obtidas razões de área equivalente maiores que a unidade, mostrando melhoria no uso da terra nas culturas mistas. O coeficiente relativo de superpopulação e os índices de agressividade mostraram que o guandu é dominante e o arroz dominado. A eficiência do uso de nitrogênio foi alta nas culturas consorciadas, mas em geral baixa para populações de alta densidade.