Carcass composition and meat quality traits were evaluated in 55 suckling kids (27 males and 28 females) from Serrana (S), Bravia (B) and Serrana×Bravia (S×B) crossbred genotypes. Kids were slaughtered at 8-11kg of live weight according to "Cabrito de Barroso-PGI" specifications and carcasses' left sides were totally dissected. Dressing percentage (based on ELW) did not vary between genotypes a...

The objective of this study was to measure the effect of substituting different levels of shrimp meal (SM) for soybean meal (SBM) in broiler diets. In Experiment 1, 0, 10, 20, 30, and 40% of the crude protein contributed by the SBM in broiler diets was substituted by crude protein from SM. In Experiment 2, 0, 60, 80, and 100% of the crude protein contributed by SBM in broiler diets was replaced...

AIM To explore the possibilities of feeding unconventional agro-industrial byproduct for livestock production. Sugarcane press-mud (SPM), is a byproduct derived from sugarcane industry, which is rich in protein as well as minerals. The effects of dietary inclusion of SPM at different levels on the carcass characteristics of lambs were evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS SPM was incorporated in c...

Mass selection for an index of increased postweaning average daily gain and decreased backfat thickness was practiced for five generations. Litter size and weight for 221 gilt litters, birth weight and nipple number for 2,242 piglets and weaning weight at 42 d of age for 2,111 pigs were recorded. Carcass measurements were taken on 331 pigs. Differences between means of the lines (select control...

Two commercial feedlot experiments were conducted to determine the effects of feeding melengestrol acetate (MGA) or MGA plus ractopamine (MGA+OPT) on the performance and carcass characteristics of finishing heifers. In Nebraska (Exp. 1), 1,807 heifers (337.3 ± 20.0 kg) and in Texas (Exp. 2), 1,964 heifers (331.5 ± 6.1 kg) were fed 0.4 mg of MGA daily. For heifers fed MGA+OPT, 200 mg of ractopam...

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate a transgenic source of corn grain containing the event DAS-Ø15Ø7-1 (TC1507) when included in diets fed to growing and finishing pigs. The commercial product trait name of TC1507 corn is Herculex I; this corn grain contains the cry1F gene from Bacillus thuringiensis var. aizawai and the phosphinothricin acetyltransferase (pat) gene from Streptomyc...

A randomized complete block design was used to compare the effects of feeding melengestrol acetate (MGA) at 0.4 (0.4M) and 0.5 (0.5M) mg/d per head on feedlot performance, estrus activity, and carcass characteristics of commercial beef heifers (n = 1,418; 10 pens/ treatment). Within 48 h of arrival at the research site, heifers were assigned to treatment, processed according to feedlot protocol...

Ninety-two swine averaging 104 +/- 4.5 kg and 99 cold carcasses averaging 75 +/- 3.1 kg were measured with a four-terminal plethysmograph. Pigs were transported to the abattoir, fasted 4 h, weighted, and measured for body resistance (Rs, omega), body reactance (Xc, omega), and distance (L, cm) between detector terminals that were located along the dorsal axis of the animal. Pigs were slaughtere...

AIM To study the impact of deficiency of second line limiting amino acids (SLAA; valine, isoleucine and tryptophan) on the production performance and carcass characteristics of commercial broilers. MATERIALS AND METHODS A control (T1) corn-soy diet was formulated to contain all essential AA on standardized ileal digestible basis; While in T2-a 'moderate SLAA deficit' diet was formulated by re...