The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of supplying water with varying salinity levels to dairy goats on nutrient intake, apparent nutrient digestibility, and milk yield. The experiment lasted 65 days and involved 24 crossbred goats with mean body weight of 38±4 kg, which were randomly allotted. It was set in a completely randomized design with four treatments consisting of 640, 3188, 5740 and 8326 mg L -1 total dissolved solids (TDS) in the drinking water. The results showed that water salinity levels had no effect on the intake of dry matter, neutral detergent fiber, crude protein, ether extract, total carbohydrates, non-fibrous carbohydrates, total digestible nutrients, metabolizable energy, digestible energy, or apparent nutrient digestibility. Water intake was influenced by the salinity, increasing as the salt level was increased. Moreover, the varying salinity had no significant effect on milk yield. Drinking water containing up to 8326 mg L -1 TDS provided no interference with the intake and nutrient digestibility of lactating goats in the feedlot. However, increasing the water salinity affects animal intake without any changes in milk yield. Therefore, this type of water can be used for crossbred goats at 30 days in milk, for up to 65 days in the feedlot. Key words: Saline water. Intake. Digestibility. ResumoObjetivou-se avaliar a influência do fornecimento de água com diferentes salinidades sobre o consumo e digestibilidade aparente dos nutrientes e produção de leite de cabras leiteiras. O experimento teve duração de 65 dias, sendo utilizadas 24 cabras mestiças, com 38±4 kg de peso corporal, sorteadas e distribuídas em um delineamento experimental inteiramente casualizado, em quatro tratamentos contendo 640, 3.188, 5.740 proteína bruta, extrato etéreo, carboidratos totais, carboidratos não fibrosos, nutrientes digestíveis totais, energia metabolizável, energia digestível e digestibilidade aparente dos nutrientes. O consumo de água ofertado sofreu influência dos teores de salinidade, elevando o consumo à medida que aumentava o nível salino. Os diferentes níveis de salinidade da água utilizadas no experimento não afetaram significativamente a produção de leite dos animais. Águas com até 8.326 mg l -1 de SDT não interferiram no consumo e na digestibilidade dos nutrientes de cabras em lactação em confinamentos. Entretanto, o incremento da salinidade da água afeta o seu consumo, sem afetar a produção de leite, portanto, esse tipo de água pode ser utilizado para cabras mestiças com 30 dias de lactação durante um período em até 65 dias de confinamento. Palavras-chave: Água salina. Consumo. Digestibilidade.

Due to its necessity and magnitude, water is essential for animal nutrition. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of increasing levels of water salinity on the quality of goat milk in the Brazilian semiarid region. Twenty-four multiparous Alpine goats, with an average live weight of 38.0 ± 4.0 kg and an average lactation period of 30 days, distributed entirely at random, were used. The experiment lasted 64 days including an initial period of 14 days of adaption to the diet. The experimental treatments consisted of water with different levels of total dissolved solids (TDS): 640, 3188, 5740, and 8326 mg L−1, obtained using sodium chloride (NaCl). Increasing the levels of TDS in drinking water from 640 to 8326 mg L−1 did not significantly (p > 0.05) affect the production and the physicochemical composition of the milk. There was a linear increase (p < 0.05) in the water consumption and acidity variables as a function of the total dissolved solid levels. The mineral composition of the milk was not altered with increasing levels of TDS in water from 640 to 8326 mg L−1. There was no negative effect (p > 0.05) for any of the sensorial attributes analyzed in relation to the treatments. Therefore, as a general conclusion, based on the analyses carried out in this experiment, it was found that water with total dissolved solids, when supplied for short periods of up to 48 days, does not alter the production, physicochemical characteristics, or the organoleptic properties of goat’s milk.

This study aims to evaluate the tissue development through real time ultrasound of lambs before slaughter in feedlot. It has been used thirty non-castrated lambs; being 10 Dorper x undefined breed, 10 Santa Inês x undefined breed and 10 undefined breed. The experimental units were about 120 days of age and 19,31kg weight of in average. The lambs have received a single and complete diet, containing 15,5% of crude protein and 2,58 Mcal/kg of dry matter. It has not been observed significant effect among the genotypes for any analyzed feature in the beginning of the experiment; however, there was influence of the genotype at the 28th days in feedlot, for the body score, rib eye area and muscularity, in which the lambs Dorper x undefined breed were superior to the undefined breed. It has been verified the same effect at the 56 days in feedlot. The undefined breed lambs have presented higher marbling score than the others. There was positive linear correlation between the growing behavior of Longissimus dorsi muscle and adipose tissues with the time in days in feedlot.