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This study aimed to evaluate the effects of crude glycerin addition containing 80.5% glycerol on nutrient intake, digestibility, performance and blood parameters of lambs in feedlot. We used 40 Santa Ines crossbred uncastrated male lambs, with 21 kg ± 0.8 kg initial body weight. These were designed in randomised blocks, with ten replications of each of four treatments: 0, 6, 12 and 18% crude glycerin. There was a quadratic effect (P 0.05) on cholesterol, triglycerides, urea, globulin, creatinine kinase, aspartate aminotransferase and gamma glutamyl transferase. The addition of crude glycerin may be included in lamb diets up to 18%.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of replacing tifton hay (Cynodon spp.) with alfalfa hay (Medicago sativa) in spineless cactus-based (Nopalea cochenillifera Salm-Dyck) diets for lactating goats on intake and digestibility of nutrients, ingestive behavior, metabolic profile and production and composition of milk. The experimental diets were composed of increasing levels (0, 33, 67 and 100% of dry matter (DM)) of alfalfa hay to replace tifton hay. Twelve crossbred multiparous Saanen goats with an average initial body weight (BW) of 46.2 ± 7.5 kg and average milk production of 3.0 kg/day were assigned to a triple Latin square experimental design (4 × 4), each having an average milk production of 3.0 kg/day. The intake of DM, organic matter, crude protein and non-fiber carbohydrates was linearly increased (P 0.05) of replacing tiffon hay with any level of alfalfa hay on total apparent digestibility of nutrients, ingestive behavior, metabolic profile or milk production and composition. The total replacement of tifton hay with alfalfa hay can be used in the lactating goats diet without causing any problems in the dairy performance.

The effects of diets containing cactus cladodes genotypes resistant to Dactylopius opuntiae on the hepatic condition of crossbred male goats were evaluated. Thirty-six goats (19.0 ± 2.8 kg body weight) were distributed in a completely randomized design, with three treatments and twelve replications. For 70 days, the animals were provided with a diet containing Tifton hay as exclusive roughage (control) and two more diets in which the hay was partially replaced by Miuda or Orelha de Elefante Mexicana (O.E.M.) cactus cladodes. Blood samples were collected one day before (baseline) and 50 days after the introduction of the tested diets to determine enzyme activities, bilirubins concentration and indicators of energy and protein metabolism, as well as, after slaughter, liver samples were collected for histopathological analysis. The use of cactus cladodes, regardless of genotype, decreased the serum concentration of cholesterol (P = 0.0023), whose averages were 73.24; 51.55 and 56.93 mg/dL, for the control treatments, with Miuda and with O.E.M. cactus cladodes, respectively. The animals that consumed cactus cladodes showed a predominance of degenerative and inflammatory processes and the O.E.M. cactus cladodes caused diffuse and accentuated coagulative necrosis in liver tissue (P = 0.0334). The cactus cladodes causes a decrease in serum cholesterol and, especially the O.E.M. genotype, causes outstanding tissue damage in the liver of goats, without affecting productive parameters.

A study was conducted to evaluate soybean hulls (SH) as a replacement of tifton bermudagrass hay (TH) in diets of goats containing high levels of spineless cactus. Ten mature bucks (five ruminally fistulated) were used in a 5 × 5 Latin square experiment with 21-day periods. Soybean hulls replaced 0, 250, 500, 750 and 1000 g/kg of TH in the experimental diets. All diets contained 600 g/kg spineless cactus (dry matter basis). Intakes of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM) and non-fiber carbohydrates and chewing activities decreased linearly ( P In vivo digestibility of DM, OM and neutral detergent fiber increased linearly ( P P 3 -N decreased linearly ( P P