Finishing of grazing crossbred steers supplemented with detoxified castor bean meal (Ricinus communis L.) in the rainy-dry transition period

This study evaluated levels of replacement of soybean meal by castor bean meal in the finishing crossbred steers on Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu pasture during the rainy-dry transition period. Forty Holstein-Zebu crossbred steers with an average initial weight of 395.93 ± 10 kg were randomly allocated to four treatment groups that were supplemented with concentrate levels of replacing (0, 290, 613, and 903 g/kg DM of the supplement; at 0.4% body weight [BW]). The experimental period was 120 days. A completely randomized experimental design was adopted; with regression analysis using the computational software package (SAS 9.2, USA). Intake and digestibility of dry matter (DM) and nutrients and animal performance were evaluated. The replacement levels did not influence (P > 0.05) the intakes of DM (kg/day), organic matter (OM, kg/day), neutral detergent fiber (NDF, kg/day and %BW), non-fibrous carbohydrates (NFC, kg/day), or total digestible nutrients (kg/day). However, the intake of crude protein (CP) and ether extract (EE, kg/day) decreased as the replacement levels were increased (P < 0.05). The digestibility of DM, OM, NDF, and EE did not change, whereas CP digestibility decreased linearly and NFC digestibility increased linearly (P < 0.05). The replacement levels did not affect (P > 0.05) final body weight, average daily gain, feed conversion, and carcass yield. Castor bean meal can replace up to 903 g/kg DM of soybean meal in the composition of the supplement without compromising the performance of steers on Marandu pasture during the rainy-dry transition period.

Carcass characteristics and meat quality of goats fed increasing levels of crude glycerin

Crude glycerin is a byproduct of the biodiesel industry and has been widely used in ruminant diets as a source of energy, usually in place of corn, primarily during periods of drought in tropical regions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of including levels of the crude glycerin of low purity (0, 6, 12 and 18%) replacing corn in the diets of goats on the carcass characteristics, tissue composition, meat cuts yield and physicochemical parameters of meat. Forty males castrated without defined racial pattern goats an initial average weight of 19.70 ± 2.30 kg were slaughtered after 86 days. Diets content 0 and 6% crude glycerin promoted similar responses to the analyzed variables, except for pH and breast weight. No differences were observed to total digestible nutrients, slaughter body weight, commercial cut yield leg tissue composition and physicochemical parameters of meat. Crude glycerin can be included up to 12% without losses on carcass weight and meat cuts, leg composition, and meat quality. The inclusion of crude glycerin containing 63.06% glycerol and 45.57% lipids could be effective in partial replacement of corn in diets for confined goats in tropical areas.