Banca de DEFESA: NUBIA MARIA GUEDES MEDEIROS

Uma banca de DEFESA de MESTRADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : NUBIA MARIA GUEDES MEDEIROS
DATE: 27/02/2026
TIME: 08:00
LOCAL: Departamento de Zootecnia
TITLE:

Water use, physiological responses, and blood parameters of lambs fed fresh or ensiled forage cactus under water restriction

KEY WORDS:

Water balance; Water conservation; Water scarcity; Sheep; Oxalates

PAGES: 45
BIG AREA: Ciências Agrárias
AREA: Zootecnia
SUBÁREA: Nutrição e Alimentação Animal
SUMMARY:

The objective of this study was to determine voluntary water intake, water balance, urinary indices, physiological responses, biochemical profile, and blood parameters of lambs fed fresh or ensiled forage cactus, with or without water restriction. The experiment was conducted at the Small Ruminant Sector of the Department of Animal Science at the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco. Forty Santa Inês lambs, non-castrated males, aged between 90 and 120 days, with an average initial body weight of 23.07 ± 2.45 kg, were used. A randomized complete block design was adopted, arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial scheme, with two roughage sources (fresh forage cactus + hay and ensiled forage cactus + hay) and two water supply strategies (once every 7 days and ad libitum). The experiment lasted 75 days. No interaction between roughage source and water supply was observed (P > 0.05) for water balance parameters. The roughage source showed significant effects (P < 0.05) on parameters such as dry matter intake, water intake via feed, urinary water output, and percentage of water in the diet. Water supply strategy significantly affected (P < 0.05) dry matter intake, water intake via feed, total water intake, urinary water output, fecal water output, and water retention. No interaction (P > 0.05) between roughage source and water supply was observed for blood parameters; however, the roughage source significantly affected (P < 0.05) triglyceride and urea concentrations. Water supply strategy significantly affected (P < 0.05) blood urea levels. No interaction (P > 0.05) was observed between roughage source and water supply for urinary excretion parameters. The roughage source significantly affected (P < 0.05) the concentrations of urea, creatinine, calcium, and magnesium, while water supply strategy significantly affected (P < 0.05) urea and creatinine concentrations and the daily excretion of calcium and magnesium. Ensiling forage cactus may improve water use efficiency. Preliminary results highlight the importance of providing drinking water ad libitum, even when animals consume small volumes of water.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Presidente - JOAO PAULO ISMERIO DOS SANTOS MONNERAT
Interno - ***.280.684-** - TOMÁS GUILHERME PEREIRA DA SILVA - UFRPE
Externa à Instituição - ANALÍVIA MARTINS BARBOSA - UFBA