Nutritional requirements of buffaloes from three genetic groups in the growth phase

• Grant number: 19/21889-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: February 01, 2020
• End date: January 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Animal Nutrition and Feeding
• Principal Investigator: Andre Mendes Jorge
• Grantee: André Michel de Castilhos
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 14/05473-7 - Nutritional requirements, behavior, animal temperament, feed efficiency, metabolic parameters, carcass and meat quality from buffaloes in tropical conditions, AP.TEM

Abstract

The objective of this research project is to determine the nutritional requirements of buffaloes of three genetic groups in the growth phase. The experiment will carried out at the new Center for Tropical Research in Buffaloes, Edgárdia Experimental Farm, Botucatu, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science of Sao Paulo State University ‘Júlio de Mesquita Filho’, located in the Center-West of the State of São Paulo. Seventy-five buffaloes from three genetic groups will be used: Murrah, Mediterranean and Jafarabadi (25 animals of each breed). Energy and protein requirements for maintenance and growth will be determined through 3 serial slaughter. Animals will be slaughtered at the beginning of the experiment and used as a reference for initial and empty body composition (PCVZ), and the remaining ones will be subdivided into three slaughter weights (physiological maturity stages): 420, 480 and 540 kg, and randomly divided into two diets: Finish phase - 15 animals of each genetic group; and, Maintenance - 6 animals from each genetic group. At each slaughter, two animals from each genetic group of the maintenance diet will be sort to be slaughtered together with the animals that reach the pre-established slaughter weight. The amounts of energy in the empty body, empty weight gain (EMcal) will be determined; the net energy requirement for maintenance (ELm); body protein content; protein content retained in animal body; net protein requirements per kg EBW gain; metabolizable protein requirements for maintenance (PMm) and gain (PMg); crude protein requirements. For the statistical analysis of the data, the procedure PROC MIXED of the SAS statistical package (2002) will be used. (AU)