Effects of refused melon fruit in Canarana grass ensilage on intake, digestibility, serum biochemistry, performance, carcass characteristics and meat attributes of feedlot lambs.

Ensilage of refused fruit with forage is a viable approach to increase resource use in ruminant feed. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of ensiling refused melon fruit (RMF) with Canarana grass on the intake, apparent digestibility, serum biochemistry, performance, carcass traits, and meat attributes of feedlot lambs. Four distinct silage treatment types were prepared by ensiling RMF at 0 g/kg (control), 70 g/kg, 140 g/kg, and 210 g/kg (as fed) with Canarana grass. Twenty-eight male Santa Inês lambs (7 lambs per treatment), initially weighing 22.3 ± 1.0 kg at 120 days of age, were distributed in a completely randomized design and confined for a total of 96 days, including a 23-day adaptation period and 73 experimental days in a feedlot. The lambs received the treatment-silage in diets as a complete mixture with a roughage: concentrate ratio of 30:70. The inclusion of RMF in Canarana grass ensilage decreased (P < 0.05) the lambs' intake of dry matter, crude protein and metabolisable energy. The inclusion of RMF in ensilage had a quadratic effect (P < 0.05) on the digestibility of non-fibrous carbohydrates. The serum total protein and cholesterol levels decreased (P < 0.05) with the inclusion of RMF in the ensilage, but we observed no effect on the final weight and average daily gain of the lambs. The feed efficiency increased (P < 0.05) by including RMF in the Canarana grass ensilage. The RMF in the ensilage did not influence cold carcass weight and yield. The fat content of the meat decreased (P < 0.05) with the inclusion of RMF in the ensilage. It is recommended the inclusion of up to 210 g/kg of RMF in Canarana grass ensilage to increase feed efficiency and avoid impacts on the performance and carcass attributes of confined lambs.

Water-Retaining Polymer and Planting Pit Size on Chlorophyll Index, Gas Exchange and Yield of Sour Passion Fruit with Deficit Irrigation.

Water availability is a limiting factor for the cultivation of sour passion fruit. Soil management techniques and the use of water-retaining polymers can increase soil water retention, reducing the frequency of irrigation in the crop. In this context, the objective of the research was to evaluate the gas exchange, the chlorophyll index, and the yield of the sour passion fruit cv. BRS GA1 as a function of irrigation depths, pit volumes, and doses of water-retaining polymer. The experiment was carried out in randomized blocks, in plots subdivided in a 2 × (2 × 5) arrangement, with irrigation depths of 70 and 100% of the crop evapotranspiration (ETc) as the main plot, the subplots with the volumes of pit of 64 and 128 dm3, and doses of the water-retaining polymer of 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 g dm-3. The interaction of irrigation depths × pit volumes × doses of water-retaining polymer influences chlorophyll indexes, gas exchange, and water productivity, with positive impacts on yield of the sour passion fruit. The water depth of 70% of ETc increased the yield of sour passion fruit, in pits of 64 dm3. The application of doses of up to 1.1 g dm-3 of the water-retaining polymer and irrigation with water of 70% of ETc is recommended, and a dose of 2.0 g dm-3 of the water-retaining polymer in a pit volume of 128 dm3, associated with an irrigation depth of 100% ETc causes stress in sour passion fruit plants due to excess water.