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ObjectiveThis study ascertained effects of cactus pear in association with different roughage in the diet of F1 Holstein/Zebu cows on intake, nutrient digestibility, nitrogen balance, ingestive behavior and performance.MethodsEight cows with 72±11 days of lactation were used. The experimental design was simultaneous in two 4×4 Latin squares. Four experimental diets were used: Diet 1, sorghum silage as exclusive roughage; Diet 2, sorghum silage associated with cactus pear in a proportion of 50% of the roughage (dry matter basis); Diet 3, elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum cv. Roxo) as exclusive roughage; Diet 4, elephant grass associated with cactus pear in a proportion of 50% of the roughage. The roughage:concentrate ratio was 75:25.ResultsDry matter intake (p = 0.01) was higher with sorghum silage. There were differences in dry matter intake (p = 0.01), crude protein (p<0.01), ether extract (p = 0.01), non-fibrous carbohydrates (p<0.01) and total digestible nutrients (p = 0.01) among the diets. Cactus pear in the diet reduced water intake by 44.52% (p<0.01). The nitrogen balance was 59.71% and 27.49% lower in animals treated with exclusive sorghum silage and sorghum silage associated with cactus pear in relation to diets with elephant grass and elephant grass associated with cactus pear, respectively (p<0.01). The diets did not influence the milk production (p = 0.70), 3.5% fat corrected milk production (p = 0.72) or feed efficiency (p = 0.61).ConclusionThe association of cactus pear with sorghum or elephant grass silage does not alter milk production, reduces the intake of dry matter and water and improves the digestibility of nutrients.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of banana crop wastes in diets of ¾ Holstein × ¼ Zebu heifers on the intake and digestibility of nutrients, microbial protein synthesis, feeding behavior, and animal performance. Eight ¾ Holstein × ¼ Zebu heifers were utilized with an average age of 18 ± 1.0 months and an average body weight (BW) of 298 ± 3.06 kg. The experiment was distributed in two simultaneous 4 × 4 Latin squares. The treatments were as follows: Diet 1 (SS)—sorghum silage as exclusive dietary roughage; diet 2 (SSL)—sorghum silage (50%) associated with 50% leaf hay of banana trees (on a DM basis); diet 3 (SSBP)—sorghum silage (50%) associated with 50% banana peel hay; and diet 4 (SSPS)—sorghum silage (50%) associated with 50% pseudostem hay of banana trees. The roughage:concentrate ratio was 75:25. The greatest dry matter intake (DMI; p < 0.01) was found in heifers that received the SS and SSBP diet, mean of 10.19 kg/day. The SS diet showed greatest dry matter digestibility (DMD; p < 0.01) and crude protein digestibility (CPD; p < 0.01). The concentration of total purines (p < 0.01) and absorbed purines (p < 0.01), microbial protein synthesis (p < 0.01), and microbial efficiency (p < 0.01) was higher in the SSBP diet in comparison with SS and SSL diets. The longest eating time was observed in animals that received the SSL diet, being 17.79% higher (p = 0.01) than the SSBP diet. The final BW (p = 0.39) and BW gain (p = 0.39) were similar, with averages of 319.84 kg and 1.08 kg/day, respectively. Biometric measurements were not altered as a function of bedtime (p > 0.05). Banana wastes can be used to feed ¾ Holstein × ¼ Zebu heifers in partial replacement for sorghum silage as they do not alter the animals’ weight gain and body development.

The qualities of food, mainly of animal origin, have always been of concern to consumers. It is known that the composition of animals’ diets can influence the composition of the foods produced, such as milk. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate diets with cactus pear in combination with different forages for F1 Holstein/Zebu cows on the chemical composition and fatty acid profile of milk. Two simultaneous 4 × 4 Latin squares were used in the experimental design. Four experimental diets were used: Diet 1, sorghum silage as the only roughage; Diet 2, sorghum silage combined with cactus pear in a proportion of 50% of the roughage (dry matter basis); Diet 3, elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum cv. Roxo) as the only roughage; and Diet 4, elephant grass combined with cactus pear in a proportion of 50% of the roughage. The roughage:concentrate ratio was 75:25. The milk urea nitrogen was higher (16.08 mg/dL) in the milk of cows fed the diet with only elephant grass than that of milk from the other diet groups. The other analyzed variables of the chemical composition of milk were not influenced by the diets. However, there was a change in the sum of the saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. The content of C16:0 fatty acid was higher and that of C18:0 was lower in the milk of cows fed the cactus pear diets than in that of cows fed the other diets. Higher levels of oleic acid were observed in the milk of cows fed with diets containing elephant grass than those in the milk of the cows in the sorghum forage groups. Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) was higher in the milk of cows fed cactus pear than in that of the other cows. The combination of cactus pear with elephant grass or sorghum silage in the diet did not alter the chemical composition of milk. However, it influenced the fatty acid profile.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of pseudostem hay of banana trees of different roughages in the diet of F1 Holstein/Zebu cows on their nutrient intake and digestibility, nitrogen balance, microbial synthesis, ingestive behavior, and milk production. The experiment was distributed in two simultaneous 4 × 4 Latin squares. The treatments were as follows: diet 1—sorghum silage as exclusive dietary roughage; diet 2—sorghum silage (70%) associated with 30% pseudostem hay of banana trees (dry matter basis); diet 3—70% elephant grass with 30% pseudostem hay of banana trees (dry matter basis); and diet 4—70% sugarcane with 30% banana pseudostem hay (dry matter basis). The roughage/concentrate ratio was 75:25. The animals fed with sorghum silage presented 14.45% higher intake (p = 0.01) to that of animals fed hay and elephant grass. The diets containing silage and silage with hay showed digestibility of neutral detergent fiber corrected for ash and protein that was 57.75% higher (p < 0.01) than that of other diets. Cows fed elephant grass spent more time intake (p = 0.01). Diets did not influence milk yield (p = 0.47), and the milk yield corrected for 3.5 fat (p = 0.22), final weight (p = 0.06), and intake efficiency (p = 0.57), presenting a mean of 14.16 kg/day, 15.94 kg/day, 590 kg, and 0.9 kg of milk/kg of ingested dry matter, respectively. The utilization of pseudostem hay associated with other roughage can be an alternative to milk yield in F1 Holstein/Zebu cows.

The aim of the study was to determine the effect of different roughage associated with pseudostem hay of banana trees on nutrients intake, chemical composition of milk and cheese and the fatty acid profile of F1 Holstein x Zebu cows. Eight cows F1 Holstein x Zebu were used in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design, each composed of four animals, four treatments and four experimental periods. Four experimental diets were used: diet 1 - sorghum silage as exclusive dietary roughage; diet 2 - sorghum silage (70%) associated with 30% pseudostem hay of banana trees (dry matter basis; SS); diet 3 - 70% elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum cv. Roxo) with 30% pseudostem hay of banana trees (dry matter basis; EGPS); and diet 4 - 70% sugar cane with 30% pseudostem hay of banana trees (dry matter basis; SCPS). The roughage: concentrate ratio in the four experimental diets was 75:25 in dry matter basis. For the chemical composition of milk and cheese, there was no difference between diets except for milk urea nitrogen which was higher with the EGPS diet. However, in the lipid fraction of milk, the EGPS diet favoured the increase of total monounsaturated fatty acids, besides increasing the concentration of conjugated linoleic acid, contributing to the improvement of some nutritional evaluation indexes of the milk lipid fraction. The pseudostem hay of banana trees associated with different roughages did not influence the chemical composition of milk and cheese of F1 Holstein x Zebu cows. Highlights The inclusion of pseudostem hay of banana trees in the diet of F1 Holstein x Zebu cows does not change the milk yield corrected for 3.5% fat. Pseudostem hay of banana trees diet of lactating cows increased the concentration of omega 6 in milk. Pseudostem hay in the diet of lactating crossbred cows did not change the yield, flavour and appearance of the cheese.

One of the factors that limit ruminant production in the semiarid region is the lack of roughage in the dry season. The management of forage plants adapted to edaphoclimatic conditions is a strategy to improve animal production. This study was conducted to examine the effects of biomass sorghum silage (BSS; Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) and BRS capiaçu grass silage (CGS; Pennisetum purpureum Schum) with or without spineless cactus (Opuntia spp.) in crossbred Holstein × Zebu heifers’ diets on the intake, apparent digestibility of the nutrients and animal performance (e.g., final weight, daily weight gain) (experiment 1). Also, to evaluate the ruminal kinetics of dry matter (DM) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) of roughages used in diets using two animals cannulated in the rumen (experiment 2). In experiment 1, ten heifers with an initial body weight of 200 ± 2.74 kg (mean ± standard deviation) and a mean age of 10 months were used. The animals were distributed in an experimental design in two simultaneous 5 × 5 Latin squares. Five experimental diets were used: diet 1, Volumax sorghum silage (VSS); diet 2, biomass sorghum silage (BSS); diet 3, BRS capiaçu silage (CGS); diet 4, biomass sorghum silage (60%) with spineless cactus (40%) (BSS + SC); and diet 5, BRS capiaçu grass silage (60%) with spineless cactus (40%) (CGS + SC). The diets were formulated with sorghum silage or BRS capiaçu grass silage with or without spineless cactus (roughage) and a maize- and soybean-based concentrate (75:25 roughage-to-concentrate ratio) on DM basis. The experiment lasted 105 days, divided into five periods of 21 days (17 days for the adaptation of the animals to the diets and management and 4 for data collection and samples). The diets containing CGS and CGS + SC resulted in lower dry matter intake (DMI; 5.61 kg day−1; P < 0.01), which was 19.4% lower than the diets with VSS, BSS, and BSS + SC (7.00 kg day−1). The BSS + SC and CGS + SC diets showed higher crude protein digestibility (P < 0.01) at 21.9% than the other treatments (Volumax, BSS, CGS). The different diets did not change the final weight or the daily weight gain of the heifers. The BRS 716 biomass sorghum silage and BRS capiaçu grass combined with spineless cactus increased (P < 0.05) the intake of nonfibrous carbohydrates and did not interfere (P > 0.05) with the final weight or average daily gain of the crossbred Holstein × Zebu heifers. The standardized potentially degradable fraction (Bp) of the NDF was 13.91% higher (P < 0.01) for BSS and BSS + SC (61.6%) compared to the others (53.0%). A diet based on BSS + SC is recommended for feeding crossbred heifers in the growing phase.

In Brazil, national estimates of childhood malnutrition have not been updated since 2006. The use of health information systems is an important complementary data source for analysing time trends on health and nutrition. This study aimed to examine temporal trends and socio-demographic inequalities in the prevalence of malnutrition in children attending primary health care services between 2009 and 2017. Time trends study based on data from Brazil's Food and Nutrition Surveillance System. Malnutrition prevalence (stunting, wasting, overweight and double burden) was annually estimated by socio-demographic variables. Prais-Winsten regression models were used to analyse time trends. Annual percent change (APC) and 95 % CI were calculated. Primary health care services, Brazil. Children under 5 years old. In total, 15,239,753 children were included. An increase in the prevalence of overweight (APC = 3·4 %; = 0·015) and a decline in the prevalence of wasting (-6·2 %; = 0·002) were observed. The prevalence of stunting (-3·2 %, = 0·359) and double burden (-1·4 %, = 0·630) had discrete and non-significant reductions. Despite the significant reduction in the prevalence of undernutrition among children in the most vulnerable subgroups (black, conditional cash transfer's recipients and residents of poorest and less developed areas), high prevalence of stunting and wasting persist alongside a disproportionate increase in the prevalence of overweight in these groups. The observed pattern in stunting (high and persistent prevalence) and increase in overweight elucidate setbacks in advances already observed in previous periods and stresses the need for social and political strategies to address multiple forms of malnutrition.

To describe the time trends and socio-economic inequalities in infant and young child feeding practices in accordance with the Brazilian deprivation index (BDI). This time-series study analysed the prevalence of multiple breast-feeding and complementary feeding indicators based on data from the Brazilian Food and Nutrition Surveillance System, 2008-2019. Prais-Winsten regression models were used to analyse time trends. Annual percent change (APC) and 95 % CI were calculated. Primary health care services, Brazil. Totally, 911 735 Brazilian children under 2 years old. Breast-feeding and complementary feeding practices differed between the extreme BDI quintiles. Overall, the results were more favourable in the municipalities with less deprivation (Q1). Improvements in some complementary feeding indicators were observed over time and evidenced such disparities: minimum dietary diversity (Q1: Δ 47·8-52·2 %, APC + 1·44, = 0·006), minimum acceptable diet (Q1: Δ 34·5-40·5 %, APC + 5·17, = 0·004) and consumption of meat and/or eggs (Q1: Δ 59·7-80·3 %, APC + 6·26, < 0·001; and Q5: Δ 65·7-70·7 %, APC + 2·20, = 0·041). Stable trends in exclusive breast-feeding and decreasing trends in the consumption of sweetened drinks and ultra-processed foods were also observed regardless the level of the deprivation. Improvements in some complementary food indicators were observed over time. However, the improvements were not equally distributed among the BDI quintiles, with children from the municipalities with less deprivation benefiting the most.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of the storage environment on quality of amaranth seed. The seeds were placed in polyethylene bags and stored for ten months in cold and in laboratory conditions. To evaluate the physiological quality of seeds, we determined the water, the one hundred seed weight, germination and vigor. The storage of amaranth in the cold chamber was more efficient for the conservation of physiological seed quality. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a Influência do ambiente de armazenamento na qualidade fisiológica de sementes de amaranto. As sementes foram acondicionadas em embalagem de polietileno e armazenadas durante dez meses em câmara fria e em condições ambientais de laboratório. Para avaliação da qualidade fisiológica das sementes, foi determinado o teor de água, o peso de cem sementes, a germinação e o vigor. O armazenamento de amaranto em câmara fria foi mais eficiente para conservação da qualidade fisiológica das sementes.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of the storage environment on quality of amaranth seed. The seeds were placed in polyethylene bags and stored for ten months in cold and in laboratory conditions. To evaluate the physiological quality of seeds, we determined the water, the one hundred seed weight, germination and vigor. The storage of amaranth in the cold chamber was more efficient for the conservation of physiological seed quality.