Animal Science and Zoology, Food Animals, Animal Science and Zoology
89
Scopus Publications
Scopus Publications
Herbage allowances during mid to late gestation affect growth performance and physiological responses of beef cow–calf pairs, and offspring skeletal muscle development William Luiz de Souza, Luciana Melo Sousa, Iorrano Andrade Cidrini, Germán Darío Ramírez-Zamudio, Karla Alves Oliveira, Ivanna Moraes de Oliveira, Laura Franco Prados, Gustavo Rezende Siqueira, Flávio Dutra de Resende Tropical Animal Health and Production, 2026 Our objectives were to determine the effects of two herbage allowance levels during mid to late gestation on growth performance, physiological responses of cow–calf pairs, and offspring skeletal muscle development through weaning. Fifty-six pregnant Nellore cows [444 ± 42 kg initial shrunk body weight (SBW) and 3.66 ± 0.28 body condition score (BCS)], each carrying a male fetus, grazed Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu pastures under either low HA (LHA; 2.80 kg dry matter (DM)/kg BW) or high HA (HHA; 7.60 kg DM/kg BW) during the final 151 days of gestation (d 140 ± 15 of gestation). As intended, differences in HA ( P < 0.01) were established by manipulating stocking rate ( P < 0.01; 1.70 vs. 3.40 AU/ha for HHA and LHA, respectively). LHA cows had lower body weight (BW; P < 0.001), average daily gain (ADG; P < 0.001), BCS ( P < 0.001), Longissimus muscle area (LMA; P = 0.002), and subcutaneous fat thickness (SFT; P = 0.02) than HHA cows during gestation. During lactation, LHA and HHA cows showed similar BW, LMA, and SFT ( P ≥ 0.12); however, LHA cows had greater ADG ( P < 0.001) and lower BCS ( P < 0.001) than HHA cows. In late gestation, LHA cows exhibited higher plasma urea ( P < 0.01) than HHA cows, but no differences were detected in milk yield or composition during lactation ( P ≥ 0.20). HHA calves had greater BW at birth ( P < 0.01), at 120 days of age ( P < 0.01), and at weaning ( P < 0.01) than LHA calves. HHA calves also had more muscle fibers at 30 ( P < 0.01) and 240 ( P < 0.01) days of age than LHA calves, whereas muscle-fiber cross-sectional area did not differ at either 30 or 240 days days of age ( P ≥ 0.21). In conclusion, adequate herbage allowance during mid- to late gestation improves maternal performance and metabolic status, supporting fetal skeletal muscle development and enhancing offspring growth through weaning.
Feeding amylolytic and fibrolytic exogenous enzymes in feedlot diets: effects on ruminal parameters, nitrogen balance and microbial diversity of Nellore cattle Igor Machado Ferreira, Hilario Cuquetto Mantovani, Fiorella Viquez-Umana, Yury Tatiana Granja-Salcedo, Luiz Fernando Costa e Silva, Anne Koontz, Vaughn Holder, James Eugene Pettigrew, Arlan Araújo Rodrigues, Aline Naime Rodrigues, Mateus José Inácio de Abreu, Saulo Teixeira Rodrigues de Almeida, Pedro Marcus Pereira Vidigal, Gustavo Rezende Siqueira, Flávio Dutra de Resende Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology, 2025 Background The environmental impact of feedlot operations is a growing concern, as cattle excrete a significant portion of feed nutrients as waste. Exogenous feed enzymes (EFE) have gained interest for their potential to enhance feed efficiency in ruminants by improving nutrient digestion. However, EFE effects on ruminal parameters have shown inconsistencies, with limited research on nitrogen metabolism and rumen microbiome impacts. Moreover, the synergistic effects of combining different EFEs remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of individual and combined EFE products in feedlot diets on ruminal fermentation parameters, nitrogen metabolism, and ruminal microbial communities. Ten rumen-cannulated Nellore steers [543 ± 28.6 kg of body weight (BW)] were distributed in a replicated Latin-square design (5 × 5) in individual pens. Treatments included: control (CON, no EFE supplementation), amylase [AML, 0.5 g/kg of diet dry matter (DM)], xylanase (FBL, 0.9 g/kg DM), half dose combination (HD, 0.25 g of AML + 0.45 g of FBL/kg of DM), and full dose combination (FD, 0.5 g of AML + 0.90 g of FBL/kg of DM). The experimental period lasted 19 d and included total urine and feces collection (d 15 to 18) and rumen fluid sampling (d 19) at 0, 4, 8, 12, and 16 h post-feeding for ammonia, volatile fatty acids (VFA), pH and microbiome analysis. Results EFE supplemented animals exhibited lower ruminal ammonia concentrations (P = 0.040), and higher acetate proportions (P < 0.001) compared to the control group. EFE supplementation resulted in reduced nitrogen (N) excretion in feces (P = 0.049) and urine (P = 0.036), contributing to improved N retention and efficiency (P = 0.045). Additionally, EFE products induced shifts in various microbial taxa at family and genera levels (P ≤ 0.10), which may be associated with the changes observed in ruminal fermentation. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate that EFE supplementation enhances nitrogen retention, reduces ruminal ammonia, and alters ruminal fermentation profiles and microbial populations in feedlot cattle. While the expected synergism between amylase and xylanase did not significantly impact rumen fermentation parameters, it did induce shifts in the rumen microbiome. These results suggest that EFE supplementation may be a promising strategy for improving nutrient utilization and potentially reducing the environmental impact of feedlot operations.
Replacement Nellore heifers receiving supplementation under different herbage allowance: effects on forage characteristics, performance, physiology, and reproduction I.M. Ferreira, B.G.C. Homem, K.A. Oliveira, I.A. Cidrini, M.J.I. Abreu, L.H.C. Batista, A.N. Rodrigues, A.C.M. Queiroz, G.H.M. Bisio, L.F. Prados, M.H. Moretti, G.R. Siqueira, F.D. Resende Animal, 2024 In Brazil, heifers typically calve at 36-48 months. Due to the high demand for meat and the need to reduce slaughter age, high supplementation has become commonly used in beef cattle farming. However, the literature remains scarce on studies that explore the impact of grazing management during the background phase on the productivity and reproductive efficiency of young Nellore heifers. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of two-herbage allowances (HA) on forage characteristics, performance, physiology and reproductive parameters of replacement Nellore heifers. Ninety weaned heifers [169 ± 19 kg of shrunk body weight (SBW); 210 ± 28 days of age] were blocked by initial BW and randomly assigned to receive different HA: (1) High herbage allowance (HHA: 7.2 kg DM/kg BW) and (2) Low herbage allowance (LHA: 3.3 kg DM/kg BW); and divided into six paddocks, totaling 12 paddocks. The experimental period was divided into the growing phase (D173) and the reproductive season (D83). Continuous stocking with a variable stocking rate was used. The supplement was provided daily with expected intake of around 10 g/kg of BW. The HHA pasture showed greater values of canopy height, greater HA, and lower values of CP and CP: in vitro digestible DM ratio than the LHA pasture over the days of the study (P ≤ 0.05). Herbage mass and the green stem proportion were lower in LHA pasture (P < 0.01), while the green leaf (g/kg DM) and senescent stem proportions (g/kg DM) were higher (P = 0.080) when compared to HHA pasture. Heifers maintained on HHA pasture had a higher average daily gain (P < 0.01), forage intake (P < 0.003), higher SBW (P < 0.01), Longissimus area (P < 0.01), and 12th-rib fat thickness (P < 0.01) than those kept in the LHA pasture. The proportion of heifers that reached the weight at maturity on D173 (P = 0.027) and the proportion of pubertal pregnancy heifers (P = 0.042) were greatest in the HHA treatment. The blood urea nitrogen (P = 0.002) was higher in heifers maintained in the LHA pasture. Heifers maintained in HHA pasture showed higher values of relative abundance of mRNA for UGT1A6 (P = 0.004) and IGFBP3 (P = 0.072). The use of HHA criteria increased forage intake, body gain, and carcass attributes of animals, which led to better reproductive performance of Nellore heifers.
Impact of 48-h water and feed deprivation and hydroxychloride sources of copper and zinc on the metabolism and performance of grazing Nellore cattle during the dry period M.J.I. Abreu, I.A. Cidrini, I.M. Ferreira, L.H.C. Batista, G.H.M. Bisio, M.Q.S. França, I.A. Reis, A.N. Rodrigues, A.C.M. Queiroz, J.M.C. Neto, D.B. Araújo, M.A.F. Porcionato, F.D. Resende, G.R. Siqueira Animal, 2024 Procedures such as transport and marketing can subject animals to water and feed deprivation and impair animal health and performance. Maintaining the mineral status of animals under these conditions can bring benefits to health and performance. The use of hydroxychloride mineral sources can improve mineral status, nutrient digestibility and performance. Two studies were conducted to investigate how the supplementation of 02 trace mineral sources of Cu and Zn and 48-hour water/feed deprivation would affect the performance and metabolism of grass-fed beef cattle. In the first study, 20 castrated and rumen-canulated Nellore steers (BW = 350 ± 132 kg; 20 m) were distributed in individual pens, in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement: supplemental Cu and Zn sources from inorganic vs hydroxychloride (HTM) and 48-hours deprivation (WFD) vs unrestricted (WFU) access to water and feed. The 57d of study was divided into two periods: (1) Adaptation from -21d to -1d and (2) evaluation from 0d to 36d. Interaction between deprivation × period was detected (P < 0.05) for digestibility of DM (DMD), organic matter (OMD), neutral detergent fiber (NDFD), and acid detergent fiber (ADFD). Deprivation increased DMD, OMD, NDFD, and ADFD immediately after the deprivation period (3-5d), but impaired digestibility at longer periods such as 11-13d and 32-34d. DM (DMI) and nutrient intake (P = 0.075), as well as NDFD were higher in HTM. Several ruminal parameters were affected by deprivation: short-chain fatty acids concentration decreased, while rumen pH increased (deprivation × time; P < 0.05); decreased propionate, butyrate and increased isobutyrate, isovalerate, and valerate in WFD (deprivation × time; P < 0.05), respectively. In the second study, eighty-four intact Nellore males (BW = 260 ± 35 kg) were blocked by BW and randomly assigned to Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu paddocks for 131d in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Liver Cu was higher in WFU/HTM animals (mineral × deprivation; P < 0.05). Interaction between deprivation × period (P < 0.05) was detected for BW and average daily gain (ADG). On 2d and 12d after deprivation, WFD increased ADG and recovered the BW lost. In conclusion, water and feed deprivation imposed in these trials were able to impact several nutrient digestibility and ruminal fermentation parameters in short- and long-term. Performance was not affected by the studied factors. Furthermore, supplementation with sources of Cu and Zn hydroxychloride increased Cu in the liver and tended to increase DMI and NDFD.
Effect of Different Herbage Allowances from Mid to Late Gestation on Nellore Cow Performance and Female Offspring Growth until Weaning Luciana Melo Sousa, William Luiz de Souza, Karla Alves Oliveira, Iorrano Andrade Cidrini, Philipe Moriel, Henrique César Rodrigues Nogueira, Igor Machado Ferreira, Germán Dario Ramirez-Zamudio, Ivanna Moraes de Oliveira, Laura Franco Prados, Flávio Dutra de Resende, Gustavo Rezende Siqueira Animals, 2024 This study evaluated different herbage allowances from mid to late pregnancy on pre- and postpartum physiological responses, milk production, and the performance of Nellore cows and the preweaning growth of their female offspring. Sixty multiparous Nellore cows were blocked by their body weight (BW; 425 ± 36 kg) and body condition score (BCS; 3.67 ± 0.23, scale 1–5) and randomly allocated to twelve pastures. Treatments consisted of two different herbage allowances (HA) during pregnancy: low HA (LHA; 2.80 kg DM/kg of BW) and high HA (HHA; 7.60 kg DM/kg of BW). Both treatment groups were fed 1 g/kg BW of a protein supplement. After calving, all cow–calf pairs were combined in a single group. The effects of maternal treatment × day of the study were detected for herbage mass and allowance, the stocking rate and forage crude protein, and for cow BW, BCS, and carcass measures (p < 0.01). Milk yield corrected to 4% fat, while the levels of fat total solids and cow plasma IGF-1 and urea were different (p ≤ 0.04) between treatments. HHA offspring was heavier (p ≤ 0.05) at 120 days and at weaning. A high herbage allowance can be implemented from mid-gestation until calving to increase cow prepartum performance, post-partum milk yield and composition, and positively modulate female offspring preweaning growth.
Long-term impacts of 48-h water and feed deprivation on blood and performance responses of grazing Bos indicus Nellore heifers Mateus J I Abreu, Rodrigo S Marques, Iorrano A Cidrini, Luis H C Batista, Igor M Ferreira, Karla A Oliveira, Vinicius A Cruz, Arnaldo C Limede, Luciana M Sousa, Matheus Q S França, Gustavo H M Bísio, Gustavo R Siqueira, Flávio D Resende Translational Animal Science, 2024 The study investigated the effects of 48-h water and feed deprivation on blood and the performance of grazing Nellore (Bos indicus) heifers. Twenty-four Nellore heifers (initial body weight [BW] = 238 ± 10 kg; age = 16 ± 2 mo), were ranked by initial BW and age and randomly assigned to one of the two treatments: (1) grazing animals with free access to pasture, water, and mineral-mix (CON; n = 12), or (2) the same grazing conditions but deprived of pasture, water, and mineral-mix for 48 h (DPR; n = 12). The paddocks consisted of Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu, using a continuous and fixed stocking rate. The experiment lasted 225 d, with the first 14 d considered as the adaptation period (days −14 to −1) and the subsequent 211 d as the evaluation period (days 0 to 211). From days 0 to 2, treatments were applied by keeping the DPR heifers in pens and reintegrating them into the experimental area after a 48-h water and feed deprivation. Individual full BW was recorded on days −14, −13, −1, before (day 0) and after (day 2) treatment application, and on days 6, 11, 12, 41, 42, 210, and 211. Blood samples were collected in the morning on days 0, 2, 6, 12, and 211. A treatment effect was detected (P &lt; 0.001) for shrink BW from days 0 to 2, which was greater (P &lt; 0.001) in DPR vs. CON heifers. Subsequently, DPR animals were lighter (P &lt; 0.001) compared with CON heifers by the end of the deprivation period (day 2). From days 4 to 211, DPR was lighter (P &lt; 0.001) compared with CON heifers after treatment application and for the entire experimental period. In the first 10 d after treatment application (days 2 to 12), DPR heifers showed a partial compensatory average daily gain (ADG; P &lt; 0.001) compared with CON heifers, while no significant differences were observed in ADG between the treatments from days 12 to 42 and 42 to 211 (P &gt; 0.420). Overall ADG (days 2 to 211) was greater (P &lt; 0.001) for DPR vs. CON heifers. All serum variables, except AST, were higher (P &lt; 0.001) in DPR than in CON heifers on day 2 after treatment application. Our study demonstrates that grazing Nellore heifers subjected to 48-h water and feed deprivation experienced significant alterations in their blood metabolites and BW immediately after the stressful event. Although the deprived heifers partially compensated for their BW loss in the early days post-deprivation, they remained 12 kg lighter than the non-deprived animals throughout the production cycle.
Performance, Intake, Feed Efficiency, and Carcass Characteristics of Young Nellore Heifers under Different Days on Feed in the Feedlot Igor Machado Ferreira, Karla Alves Oliveira, Iorrano Andrade Cidrini, Mateus José Inácio de Abreu, Luciana Melo Sousa, Luis Henrique Cursino Batista, Bruno Grossi Costa Homem, Laura Franco Prados, Gustavo Rezende Siqueira, Flávio Dutra de Resende Animals, 2023 Two studies evaluated the productive characteristics of young Nellore heifers receiving different days on feed (DOF) to determine the biological slaughter endpoint. In Experiment 1 (Exp. 1), fifty-one Nellore heifers [324 ± 19.3 kg of body weight (BW); 16 ± 1 months] were split into three DOF lengths (45, 75, or 105 days), while in Experiment 2 (Exp. 2), thirty-six Nellore heifers (362 ± 25.5 kg of BW; 18 ± 1 months of age) were split into three DOF lengths (45, 90, or 135 days). In both studies, all animals were distributed in complete randomized blocks according to initial BW and stratified via carcass ultrasound. The diet was supplied ad libitum, allowing 3% of refusals. The point at which the animals achieved 25% of ether extract of shrunk body weight (EESBW) was defined as the biological endpoint. Thus, relationships were made between some characteristics obtained in both studies. Positive linear relationships were found between backfat thickness (BFT) vs. EESBW (p < 0.001, r = 0.84) and BFT vs. body weight (p < 0.001, r = 0.77). Our results suggest that the biological slaughter endpoint for young Nellore heifers is 6.97 mm of backfat thickness or 402 kg shrunk body weight, corresponding to around 75 DOF.
The Strategic Use of an Immunomodulatory Feed Additive in Supplements for Grazing Young Nellore Bulls Transported after Weaning: Performance, Physiological, and Stress Parameters Luis Henrique Curcino Batista, Ivanna Morais Oliveira, Laura Franco Prados, Laylles Costa Araújo, Igor Machado Ferreira, Mateus José Inácio de Abreu, Saulo Teixeira Rodrigues de Almeida, César Aparecido de Araújo Borges, Gustavo Rezende Siqueira, Flávio Dutra de Resende Agriculture Switzerland, 2023 The objective of this study was to evaluate four different feeding strategies using an immunomodulatory feed additive for newly weaned Nellore cattle, before and after road transport, on their physiological parameters and performances during the growing phase of pastures. In total, eighty-four young Nellore bulls (initial BW = 174 ± 11 kg; 7 ± 1 months of age) were blocked by their initial body weights 42 days before road transport (d −42) and randomly assigned to one of the four supplementation strategies. The treatments were: (1) Control (CON): no immunomodulatory feed additive (NUTRA) supplementation; (2) NUTRA pre: the inclusion of NUTRA only in the pre-transport period (d −42 to d 0); (3) NUTRA post: the inclusion of NUTRA for 42 days, only in the post-transport period (d 0 to d 42); and (4) NUTRA growth: the inclusion of NUTRA during the whole experimental period (d −42 to d 210). On d 0, the calves were transported on dirty roads in a commercial livestock trailer for 200 km (8 h). There was no effect of the treatments on the animal performance or the physiological parameters in their plasma. However, there were effects on the day of the blood sampling for all the parameters. The highest concentration of cortisol was observed on d 3 post-transport (129 ng/mL) and this decreased over time (22.4 ng/mL; d 210). On the other hand, their glucose peaked at unloading, with lower concentrations on d 7 and d 14. Their total protein concentrations increased from d 0 to d 7. The immunomodulatory feed additive supplementation at 10 g/100 kg BW/day did not modulate the physiological responses in their plasma and did not influence the performance of the Nellore bulls during the growing phase of their pastures.
Castration methods in crossbred cattle raised on tropical pasture Aline D. Moreira, Gustavo R. Siqueira, Josiane F. Lage, João Marcos B. Benatti, Matheus H. Moretti, Giulianna Z. Miguel, Ivanna M. de Oliveira, Flávio D. de Resende Animal Production Science, 2018
Use of sugarcane in ruminant nutrition Gustavo Rezende Siqueira, Marcella de Toledo Piza Roth, Matheus Henrique Moretti, João Marcos Beltrame Benatti, Flávio Dutra de Resende Revista Brasileira De Saude E Producao Animal, 2012
Carcass traits of finishing steers and bulls from different genetic groups Andréa Vittori, Augusto César de Queiroz, Flávio Dutra de Resende, Antonio Gesualdi Júnior, Guilherme Fernando Alleoni, Alexander George Razook, Leopoldo Andrade de Figueiredo, Ana Cristina Ladeira de Souza Gesualdi Revista Brasileira De Zootecnia, 2006
Carcass Traits and Body Composition of Young Nellore Bulls Finished at Different Feeding Regime Revista Brasileira De Zootecnia, 2001
Performance of Beef Cattle in Feedlot Feeding with Diets Based on Cottonseed Meal, Urea or Starea Revista Brasileira De Zootecnia, 1999
Supplementation of corn stover in the feeding of cattle. 2. Ruminal ammonia concentration and ruminal pH Revista Brasileira De Zootecnia, 1998
Supplementation of corn.stover in the feeding of cattle. 1. Intake, dry matter passage rate, and in situ dry matter and neutral detergent fiber degradability Revista Brasileira De Zootecnia, 1998
Quantitative carcass traits of bovines and buffalo, slaughtered at different stages of maturity Revista Brasileira De Zootecnia, 1997
Carcass dressing percentage and yield of primal cuts from bovines and buffalo slaughtered at different stages of maturity Revista Brasileira De Zootecnia, 1997
Weight and carcass gain, feed intake, and feed conversion in bovines and buffaloes slaughtered at two stages of maturity Revista Brasileira De Zootecnia, 1997
Average particle size, modulus of fineness and modulus of uniformity of digesta throughout the gastrintestinal tract of different ruminants genetic groups Revista Brasileira De Zootecnia, 1996
Critical particle size and relative resistance to escape of digesta particles from the reticulo-rumen of ruminants of different genetic groups Revista Brasileira De Zootecnia, 1996
Intake of diets containing four levels of concentrate in nellore and holstein cattle and water buffalo Revista Brasileira De Zootecnia, 1996
Nutrients concentration throughout gastrintestinal tract of different ruminants genetic groups Revista Brasileira De Zootecnia, 1996
