Laboratory services:
- Lab classes on food analysis
- Training of students in the Animal Science field
- Research to support animal nutrition studies
- Food testing to attend community demands
Contact:
Prof. Dr. Américo Fróes Garcez Neto
Laboratório de Nutrição Animal - Universidade Federal do Paraná - Rua Pioneiro, 2153, Jardim Dallas, CEP 85.950-000, Palotina, PR, Brazil
TeL: +55 44 3211 8523
E-mail: americo.garcez@ufpr.br
Education:
BSc: Federal University of Viçosa, Brazil
Msc: Federal University of Viçosa, Brazil
PhD: Federal University of Viçosa, Brazil - Lincoln University, New Zealand
Research Team: Professors, Graduate and Undergraduate students.
Sergio Rodrigo Fernandes, Eduardo Michelon do Nascimento, Ricardo D. Kliemann, Deborah Sandri, Thalyane Rodrigues, Luiz Manoel Alves Filho, Matheus Friedrich, Mariana Moratelli.
Technical Team: Lab. Technician and Undergraduate students
Rafaela Mocochinski Gonçalves (Lab. Technician), Aline Júlia Bói, Danielle Mara Lopes, Daniela Borges da Cruz, Edielson da Rosa, Júlia Zanotelli, Valéria Monteiro, Rodrigo Coelho.
POSTS
12 September 2019
UFPR at the 70th Annual Meeting of the European Federation of Animal Science
From 26 to 30 August 2019, Dr. Américo Garcez Neto was at 70th Annual Meeting of the European Federation of Animal Science (EAAP), in Ghent – Belgium, presenting the research developed at the Graduate Program of Animal Science – UFPR, in cooperation with EMBRAPA Dairy Cattle – Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation. At the meeting, Dr. Garcez Neto gave a speech about the use of bioacustic approach device to record rumination of dairy heifers at tie-stall and loose-housing facilities. Although bioacoustic devices have presented good improvements to record the rumination of cows, their use with heifers deserve more studies to be proved effective to monitor the rumination. The research presented at the meeting is part of the dissertation work of the Master Student Ricardo Kliemann, supervised by Dr. Garcez Neto (UFPR) and Co-Supervised by Dr. Pereira (Embrapa Dairy Cattle).
The rumination is an important component of the feeding behavior that can be used to drive better management practices for farmers. With the average farm size growing fast in different parts of the world and with the reduced amount of labor force for livestock management, the use of bioacoustics, accelerometers and pressure sensors will be more present each day for most farms as a high tech tool to support farmers decision.
Although proved effective for most cows, the use of bioacoustics devices to heifers requires more developments, particularly taking into account how the jaw size of different cattle categories can be used into the algorithm model for new products.
In the EAAP 2019, Dr. Garcez Neto also presented a panel about the use of residual intake and body weight gain on the performance and carcass composition of feedlot lambs. That research is part of the dissertation work of the Master Student Eduardo M. Nascimento, who also included in the evaluations parameters related to blood metabolic profile and feeding behavior. Due to the intensive work to measure the most efficient animals in a herd, research trying to relate these animals to other parameters (genomic, feeding behavior, blood metabolites) has been a global focus among different research centers, aiming reductions of costs and higher adoption of the methodology.
22 November 2018
Crop–Livestock–Forestry integration field day
In 6 December will be held the Crop-Livestock-Forestry (ILPF) field day at the Technological Extension Unit – COCAMAR, Iporã – Paraná. The Federal University of Paraná (UFPR - Palotina Campus) will be present in the field day with Professor Américo Garcez, one of the speakers of the meeting, and with his students from the Study Group on Ruminant Nutrition and Forage Crops from the Department of Animal Science.
05 July 2018
UFPR Palotina gets investment from FINEP
agency to the development of research on cattle production
The group of researchers who work on cattle management and nutrition will count now with a new module of management composed of a complete steel corral (Balanças Açores, PR, Brazil) equipped with squezze chute, weighing system and boarding ramp to provide every support on cattle management.The investment on this equipment is part of an institutional research project from UFPR, approved by FINEP (Funding Authority for Studies and Projects) - Brazil,which still comprise other equipment that will bring significant benefits to UFPR Palotina, not only to cattle nutrition, but also to the development of methodologies on molecular analyses, conservation of biological samples and procedures to best fish capture. The investment is to support different research areas developed in the Palotina Campus, in particul to those related to the Graduate Programs of Animal Science, and Aquaculture and Sustainable Development.
05 October 2017
The role of agriculture on socio-ecological and cultural changes for the rural development: Tropentag 2017 – Germany
Tropentag is an annual interdisciplinary conference on agriculture, natural resource management, livestock and other fields related to rural development, sustainable resource use and food production in tropical and subtropical regions.
The meeting of 2017 was held, from 20 to 22 September, in Bonn, Germany. The main target of the conference for this year was on the future of agriculture, particularly in developing countries where the changes in this area has been drastic, many times without the proper planning to assure the economic, social and environmental sustainability for farmers.
The UFPR was present at this meeting with the participation of professor Américo Garcez, who presented a panel on the “Diet Selection and Ingestive Behaviour of Lambs Fed Diets with Increasing Levels of Whey Permeate”. The panel is part of a research developed by the Study Group on Ruminant Nutrition and Forage Crops (GENFOR), which has researched the potential of use of whey permeate in the ruminant nutrition. That work is also part of the study carried out by the master students Carine Bach and Heloise Magionni, who studied different levels of whey permeate in the diet of lambs, and continues a former work developed in cooperation with University of Hohenheim – Germany, where the student Shimels Wassie evaluated the association of whey permeate and ground corn to sources of non-protein nitrogen with different degradation rates.
During the meeting, it was also presented a panel on the use of tannin and soybean oil on gas production, degradability and ruminal fermentation. This panel was result of other international cooperation involving the Wageningen University – Netherlands (Dr. Jan Dijkstra), Federal University of São Francisco Valley (Dr. Daniel Ribeiro Menezes) and the UFPR. The work was carried out at the Federal University of São Francisco Valley, under the co-supervision of Dr. Daniel Menezes, and the cooperation of UFPR, by Dr. Américo Garcez, being part of the dissertation work of the student Titis Apdini. The work pointed out to the efficiency of soybean oil and tannin as food tools to control the in vitro methane production.
07 September 2017
68th Annual Meeting of the European Federation of Animal Science – EAAP 2017 - Estonia
The 68th Annual Meeting of the European Federation of Animal Science (EAAP) took place from 28 August to 1 September in Tallinn, Estonia. The main theme of the meeting was the Patterns of Livestock Production in the Development of Bioeconomy. The meeting in Tallinn provided the excellent opportunity for scientists working with wide range of animal species and in related disciplines to meet and discuss the latest developments in animal sciences.
Professor Américo Garcez, representing the Study Group on Ruminant Nutrition and Forage Crops (GENFOR) - UFPR, presented four works in the meeting, with two of them about the characterization of residual gain and residual feed intake of Dorper x Santa Inês lambs under feedlot condition. The other works brought some results about the blood parameters of feedlot lambs fed levels of whey permeate and the comparative aspects of carcass evaluation of lambs using ultrasound images and body condition score.
Access our posters to 68th Annual Meeting of the European Federation of Animal Science EAAP 2017 – Estonia
Our posters which will be presented by the GENFOR at the EAAP 2017, to be hold at thecity of Tallinn – Estonia, can also be accessed in our web page.
More news from the meeting coming soon!
24 August 2017
1st Brazilian Congress of Integrated Systems in Agriculture - Livestock Production and 4th Meeting of Agriculture - Livestock Production from South of Brazil
The 1st Brazilian Congress of Integrated Systems of Agriculture - Livestock Production and 4th Meeting of Agriculture - Livestock Production from South of Brazil had its opening session in the last Monday (21), at the Cascavel Convention Center, Cascavel-PR, Brazil. In the meeting, national and international researchers, as well as farmers, technicians and students are discussing about many integrated systems of agriculture-livestock production. During the meeting researchers present their experience to increase our crop and animal yield using the best approaches to assure economic, social an environmental sustainability. About 210 scientific posters are under exhibition and more than 350 participants from different institutions are contributing not only to improvement of our current integrated systems but also to expand the adoption of these systems for our agriculture and livestock sector. Among the partner institutions in the organizing comitte of the event is the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), represented by Dr. Américo Garcez and Dr. Willian Gonçalves do Nascimento (Department of Animal Science – UFPR Campus Palotina) and Dr. Nei Moreira (Department of Biosciences).
14 August 2017
GENFOR at the 54a Annual meeting of the Brazilian Society of Animal Science
It took place in Foz do Iguaçu, Paraná-Brazil, from 24 to 28 July the 54a Annual Meeting of the Brazilian Society of Animal Science (SBZ). The event is one of the main meeting point for national and international researchers in Brazil, along with graduate and undergraduate students, to discuss the challenges and future perspectives for animal science in Brazil and world. Members of the Group of Study on Ruminant Nutrition and Forage Crops (GENFOR), from the Department of Animal Science, UFPR - Campus Palotina, participated in the event: professors Dr. Américo Fróes Garcez Neto (Head of Department of Animal Science) and Dr. Willian Gonçalves do Nascimento (Vice Head of Department of Animal Science), as well as graduate and undergraduate science internship students: Sergio Rodrigo Fernandes, Ricardo Davi Kliemann, Rafaela M. Gonçalvez, Deborah Sandri, Luiz Manoel Alves Filho and Thalyane Rodrigues.
Professor Américo was the Chief Coordinator (UFPR) of the 8th National Forum of Coordinators of Graduate Programs in Animal Science and Fishery Resources, which also had the contribution of external coordinators Dr. Ronaldo Lopes Oliveira (UFBA) and Dr. Roberto Germano Costa (UFPB). In the Forum were discussed several aspects related to the research progress of animal production, the national parameters for excellence within the area, the plans for research funding (grants, projects) involving the public and private sectors. Besides of these themes, it was also discussed some key points related to the internationalization process of the graduate programs, the profile of competitive projects in the animal science and the analysis of the Brazilian journals in comparison to international journals of high impact factor in the area.
About 50 Graduate Programs in Animal Science and Fishery Resources were present in the Forum, from 79 programs currently approved by the CAPES – Ministry of Education. It may be regarded as a significant mark to the event, specially taking into account the deep cuts to Science in the last years.
During the Annual Meeting the GENFOR team was also engaged to present research works developed by the group at the Laboratory of Animal Science. The works were presented by Rafaela M. Gonçalves Gonçalves (Use of commercial detergent solution for fibrous fraction analysis in feeds for ruminants) and by the undergraduate internship students supervised by professor Américo Garcez: Luiz Manoel Alves Filho (Intake and digestibility of nutrients by lambs fed diets with increasing levels of whey permeate), Deborah Sandri (Protein metabolism profile of lambs fed diets with dry whey permeate) e Thalyane Rodrigues (Energy metabolism profile of lambs fed diets with dry whey permeate).
14 August 2017
Master students defend study on dry whey permeate in the Graduate Program of Animal Science – UFPR
In the end of July two master students of the Graduate Program in Animal Science defended their dissertations with a study on the use of dry whey permeate in sheep nutrition. One of the dissertations, entitled “Intake, nutrients digestibility, performance and blood biochemical evaluation of lambs fed diets with increasing levels of whey permeate” was presented by the master student Carine Ines Schröter Bach. The other dissertation, with the title “Performance and carcass characteristics of lambs fed diets with whey permeate” was presented by the master student Heloise Maggioni. The dissertations were defended using video conference with the participation of the following committee: Dr. Américo F. Garcez Neto (Supervisor-UFPR), Dr. Willian G. Nascimento (UFPR) and Dr. Daniel R. Menezes (UNIVASF).
The dissertations complement a previous project initiated in 2014, funded by CNPq with the cooperation of University of Hohenheim, which resulted in other two dissertations defended in Brasil and in Germany, where the whey permeate was evaluated replacing 30% of ground corn in total diet in association to sources of nitrogen of fast and slow degradation.
In this second part of the research, developed by the master students Heloise and Carine, it was evaluated different levels of whey permeate (0.0; 5.0; 12.5 and 25.0%) in the total dry matter of diets to sheep from growing to finishing phase. The aim was identify the best levels of whey permeate recommended to sheep in feedlot conditions. It was found reductions on the digestibility of crude protein and neutral detergent fiber and increase on the digestibility of non fibrous carbohydrates with the whey permeate.
Due to the patterns observed to the digestibility, the students argued that the animals presented a high dry matter intake in relation to what was expected, probably to meet an energetic requirement not fully attended by the feed ingredients used in the study. In that study, the master students designed diets with higher proportion of roughage than concentrate, once in previous works with permeate available in the literature the proportion of concentrate was higher than the roughage and these trials did not present significant effect of permeate on the intake, digestibility and performance.
In terms of blood parameters and carcass characteristics, it was not found wide changes in response to the whey permeate. However, when taking into account the lowest levels of urea in the serum and the highest carcass yield for sheep, it is suggested that studies using whey permeate be performed between 5.0 and 13% of the diet.
13 May 2016
Professors from the Department of Animal Science visit water buffalo farm in Guaíra - PR
The professors José Antônio de Freitas, Willian Gonçalves do Nascimento e Américo Fróes Garcez Neto, from the Department of Animal Science of UFPR, visited the farmer Mr. Rosalino Weber, in Guaíra - Parana State (65km from UFPR - Palotina Campus). The Mr. Weber is a river buffalo farmer who has used the Murrah breed for buffalo meat production for more than 15 years. In the visit Mr. Weber showed to the UFPR professors the general management of his farm which has approximately a herd with 500 animals. With that visit the professors of UFPR expect return to the farm for demonstration of some management practices and other principles applied to water buffalos.
04 May 2016
New professor at the Department of Animal Science in Ruminant Production
The department of Animal Science announces that Dr. Willian Gonçalves do Nascimento joined our university as professor in Ruminant Production. Willian teaches courses in Animal Science, Ruminant Nutrition and Water Buffalo Production. He received his PhD from the State University of Maringá in 2005, under attached program with the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique - INRA, France. Was Researcher of the Agricultural Institute of Paraná until 2009. Since 2009, Professor in the Department of Animal Science at the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Brazil. His main areas of research interest are beef cattle production and ruminant nutrition.
18 August 2015
Newton Fund: Fellowships, Research Mobility, and Young Investigator Awards for UK researchers in Brazil
Brazilian State Funding Agencies, articulated by its National Council (Confap), are launching a call for proposal offering support to researchers based in UK Universities and Research Institutions who are willing to spend from two weeks to four years working in research in Brazil, in collaboration with local colleagues.The call offers support for researchers in the UK through: a) Fellowships; b) Research Mobility Grants; c) Young Investigator Grants comprising a scholarship plus a research funding grant. The Araucária Foundation is one of the agencies participating in the call.
Research initiatives to international cooperation on projects and common fields of interest with the Study Group on Ruminant Nutrition and Forage Crops are welcome.
Research areas:
1) Production and evaluation of corn and tropical grass silages;
2) Physiological, morphological and structural evaluation of pastures in crop-livestock-forestry integration;
3) Use of additives to grazing cattle;
4) Use of additives and diet evaluation in feedlot finishing lambs.
Contact must be done with Prof. Américo Garcez.
americo.garcez@ufpr.br
Call deadline: 25 October 2015
Call general rules - click here
Call aplication website - click here
15 August 2015
Research from the Study Group on Ruminant Nutrition and Forage Crops is presented in the Annual Meeting of the Brazilian Society of Animal Science in Minas Gerais
Results from research carried out by the Study Group on Ruminant Nutrition and Forage Crops (GENFOR) were presented in the 52ª Annual Meeting of the Brazilian Society of Animal Science, in Belo Horizonte – MG. The abstracts were presented by the undergraduate students from GENFOR, Jean Carlos Steinmacher Lourenço, Bruna Naomy Zuffo e Douglas Bloedorn, and make part of two researches developed in the UFPR Palotina, Two abstracts presented the changes in the nutritional value and aerobic stability of Penissetum purpureum cv. Pioneiro silages with increasing levels of dry whey permeate and microbial inoculant (Lactobacillus buchneri). Other abstract presented a study on the structural and light interception changes of MG4 pastures under rotational stocking.
The researches aim to evaluate the potential of use of whey permeate in association with Lactobacillus buchneri as additives to support the fermentation of tropical grasses of high yield capacity, but with low levels of soluble carbohydrates and limited conservation after silo opening. In relation to the research with pastures under rotational stocking, the results make part of a broad study in which pastures are evaluated in different production systems regarding traditional monospecific pastures and pastures integrating livestock-forestry and crop-livestock systems. The characterization of these pastures must allow evaluate the impact of more conservative farm management practices on the sustainability and productivity of livestock systems.
GENFOR presents at the American Dairy Science Association - American Society of Animal Science Joint Annual Meeting - 2015
The Study Group on Ruminant Nutrition and Forage Crops (GENFOR) was represented by professor Americo Garcez at the ADSA-ASAS Joint Annual Meeting 2015 held in Orlando, Florida-USA. Dr. Garcez presented results from a research developed in Brazil with feedlot finishing lambs fed different sources of non protein nitrogen (protected and non protected urea) and carbohydrate (corn and whey permeate). The partial results are part of a broad study that also counted with the support of University of Hohenheim – Germany. The abstracts presented are from a research developed by the master student Dayanna Pastal for her dissertation and gather information from carcass, weight and cutting yield, loin characteristics, blood parameters, diet selection and ingestive behavior. When the research is concluded it will be possible a better understanding of the metabolic association of these nutrients on feedlot lambs.
12 May 2015
Master Program in Animal Science has open a new call for 2015
It was open a new call for students to 2015. The call involves a selection process which evaluates the CV, the grade in an exam of basic knowledge and interview. The candidates can do the application directly at the Master Program Office (until 05 June) or can submit their application form and other documents by mail (until 02 June).
Professor Dr. Américo Garcez will have two positions available for master students in some of the following projects:
1) Production and evaluation of corn and tropical grass silages;
2) Physiological, morphological and structural evaluation of pastures in crop-livestock-forestry integration;
3) Use of additives to grazing cattle;
4) Morphological and structural adjustments of forages under different light regimes for silvopastoral systems;
5) Use of additives and diet evaluation in feedlot finishing lambs.
Candidates should be in contact with Dr. Américo Garcez in advance for more information.
21 November 2014
The study Group on Ruminant Nutrition and Forage Crops presents works during the IX Northeast Congress of Animal Production
The professor Américo Garcez, the graduate student Dayanna Pastal and the undergraduate student Eduardo Michelon do Nascimento presented posters of scientific work developed in the Graduate Program of Animal Science – UFPR in the IX Northeast Congress of Animal Production, held in Ilhéus – Bahia State from 11 to 14 November.
The posters are part of the dissertations developed in the Master Program of Animal Science – UFPR with the supervision of professor Garcez. The dissertations involves the study with different sources of non protein nitrogen and carbohydrates (starch vs. lactose) for feedlot lambs, the study of using whey permeate and Lactobacillus buchneri for ensiling Pennisetum purpureum cultivar, and the study of morphological and structural changes of pastures under crop-livestock integration.
It were presented five scientific works, evaluating the nutritional parameters and the relative and total accumulative losses of silages with whey permeate and Lactobacillus buchneri, the morphological adjustments of pastures under crop-livestock integration, and the feeding behavior of feedlot lambs.
New masters graduate in the Animal Science Program
Master students of the Animal Science Program defended their dissertation in the last month. The students were supervised in their study by professor Américo Garcez. One of the works was presented by the student Tiago Machado dos Santos, who evaluated the associated effects with the addition of dehydrated whey permeate (up to 30% of FM) and Lactobacillus buchneri during ensiling of a cultivar of Pennisetum purpureum (Pioneiro grass). In the study were analyzed nutritional parameters, relative and total accumulative losses during fermentation, aerobic stability and fermentative parameters.
The study was carried out using forage with relatively low dry matter content compared to ideal patterns for proper fermentation, but common for most farmers who use cultivars of Pennisetum purpureum. According to the results, it can be confirmed the high potential of the Pioneiro grass cultivar for good silage making even with relatively low dry matter content. With the study it is suggested that the use of whey permeate and Lactobacillus buchneri would only be effective when the Pioneiro grass cultivar had higher dry matter content compared with the levels found in the study.
Other work was presented by Diana Rosana Vivian on a study with the use of unprotected urea replacing the true protein for feedlot lambs. In the study were analyzed blood parameters and the performance of the lambs according to the levels of urea in the diets (0,0; 0,5; 1,0 and 1,5% of DM). The addition of urea did not reduce the performance of the lambs. Their blood parameters were also within the limits regarded as safe for lambs. The animals had an average daily gain of about 220g per animal per day with diets of 17% of crude protein and 67% of total digestible nutrients.
27 October 2014
Projects of interest to the call 04/2014 of the Master Program in Animal Science
The call for new students to 2015 of the Master Program in Animal Science is open. Professor Dr. Garcez will have three positions available for master students in some of the following projects:
1) production of mixture silages of maize and tropical forages;
2) physiological, morphological and structural evaluation of pastures in crop-livestock-forestry integration;
3) grazing patterns of beef cattle in crop-livestock-forestry integration;
4) forage allowance and use of additives for cattle as approach for grassland sustainability and reduction of methane emissions;
5) morphological and structural adjustments of forages under different light regimes for silvopastoral systems;
6) use of non-protein nitrogen and carbohydrates in the diets of feedlot lambs.
Candidates should be in contact with Dr. Garcez for more information.
27 October 2014
Master Program in Animal Science has open call for 2015
It was open a call for new students to 2015. The call involves a selection process which evaluates the CV, the grade in an exam of basic knowledge and interview. The candidates can do the application directly at the Master Program Office or can submit their application form and other documents by mail until the deadline of the call (14 Nov).
For more information: americo.garcez@ufpr.br
08 August 2014
The Study Group on Ruminant Nutrition and Forage Crops present scientific papers at the Annual Meeting of the Brazilian Society of Animal Science
The Study Group on Ruminant Nutrition and Forage Crop (GENFOR) was present at the 51st Annual Meeting of the Brazilian Society of Animal Science held at Aracajú-Sergipe, Brazil. The focus of the 51st meeting was on the global environmental changes and their effects on the agribusiness chain, as well as to know the new technologies that benefit animal production.
The GENFOR was represented at the meeting by the Professor Américo Garcez, the Post-Doctoral Researcher Sergio Fernandes, Tiago M. Santos (graduate student of the Master Program in Animal Science), Larissa Goltz, Ricardo D. Kliemann and Jean Carlos S. Lourenço (undergraduate students).
The GENFOR presented preliminary results (four posters) of a research developed in the Paraná Sate on Crop-Livestock-Forestry Integration, and a research on forage conservation describing the potential of Pennisetum purpureum for silage making using lactose as additional source for fermentation. The Crop-Livestock-Forestry Integration study is part of an international research collaboration with the University of Hohenheim – Germany, and the Brazilian support of the Cocamar Cooperativa Agroindustrial.
The first part of that study involved the analysis of the grazing behavior changes of beef cattle in traditional pastures, pastures of intercropping and silvopasture systems. The grazing measurements were supported by our German cooperation group with a comparative approach using visual records and automated devices to characterize the rumination and eating process and the grazing distribution over the areas (animal perspective). The results presented at the meeting describe the sward state of an intercropping pasture under rotational stocking (plant perspective). The aim is characterize how plants and animals can be integrated sustainably in different agricultural systems.
10 June 2014
Application for Master in Animal Science – Open
The Master Program in Animal Science is open for additional applications. There are two positions available to develop the projects: Protein and energy synchronization study in feedlot sheep and Pasture and animal evaluation in crop-livestock-forestry integration in the western of Paraná-Brazil supervised by the professor Américo Garcez. The period for application will be until 30/06/2014. For more information see the guidelines in the link of Program or contact Prof. Américo Garcez.
11 May 2014
Research developed in the western of Paraná studies the grazing behavior changes of cattle between different systems of production
A study supported by an international research cooperation involving the Federal University of Paraná (BR) and University of Hohenheim (GER) is analyzing the grazing behavior changes of beef cattle in traditional pastures, pastures of intercropping and silvopasture systems in Brazil. The study started with a pre-trial period to validate an automated device to record the ingestive behavior against classical visual observation approaches. Instead to use sound records the devices used in the trial are based on pressure sensors attached to head collars so different jaw movements can be distinguished to better characterize the rumination and eating process.
Most of the animals used to develop past and current grazing recorders are of European breeds. Due to the large area of pastures (approximately 172 million of hectares) and the number of zebu herds used for cattle production in Brazil, it is important that automated approaches are tested in subtropical conditions and with zebu animals to better describe the grazing process. To improve the animal behavior study measurements of grazing patterns were included in the trial by using GPS recorders. These patterns may be differentiated under subtropical conditions particularly considering traditional (open pastures) and silvopastural (understory pastures of cultivated eucalyptus forestry) systems. Pasture and microclimatic measurements between systems will be used during the study to better understand the possible changes in the animal behavior.
UFPR participates in the 8th Technical Meeting on Crop-Livestock-Forestry Integration held in Goiás State
Professor Américo Garcez, researcher on Grasslands and Forage Crops from UFPR-Palotina, represented the Federal University of Paraná at the 8th Technical Meeting on Crop-Livestock-Forestry Integration (ILPF), held in Goiás State, from 19 to 20 march 2014. The event was organized by the ILPF Support Group which is formed by the John Deere, COCAMAR, Syngenta and EMBRAPA, with the participation of Santa Brígida Farm.
In the event were presented the recent innovations and developments on ILPF. The program gathered researchers from different fields. The researchers did presentations on the main productive, economic, social and environmental advantages of integrating all the components from these systems, beyond the future perspective of teaching, research and funding in the area. During the event was highlighted the role of the ILPF to support the recovering of the yield potential of about 10 millions of hectares with different levels of degradation, at lower costs than any other recent agricultural approaches.
During the technical meeting the participants visited the Santa Brígida Farm, one private farm that integrates the ILPF program and is one the main national references of that kind of agricultural integration in Brazil.
According to professor Garcez part of what is developed in the Brazilian Mid-Western is already under use in the South of Brazil, particularly in regions with soil properties similar to those found in the Mid-West. But due to the multiple benefits of the ILPF these systems can increasing the sustainability of the best soils of the south of Brazil at the same time they increase the efficiency of our agricultural production.
15 March 2014
GENFOR has its own vehicle to support the research projects and field work
The Study Group on Ruminant Nutrition and Forage Crops have its own vehicle to the development of research activities and field sampling. Although small for large operations, the vehicle makes the group with
more independence to proceed with operations that do not demand the transport of heavier charges or big set of samples. Now the group gains more flexibility to set its plan for field work. To the transport of more people and heavier loads, the GENFOR will keep the use the set of university vehicles. The new vehicle was bought by funds supported by Professor Américo Garcez. With this investment his group will now have better logistic support in their field work.
22 February 2014
Hay harvest by GENFOR team - UFPR
Today the GENFOR team started to harvest the hay for the next project involving the Laboratory of Animal Nutrition which will evaluate the nutritional status of crossbred sheep fed with fast and slow release N sources associated to the supply of carbohydrates of different fermentation patterns. The project will be carried out aiming the international cooperation of the University of Hohenheim – Germany – as part to the development of a collaborative research group between countries, gathering researchers and the exchange of graduate students.
16 February 2014
Measure or not to measure ? Forage Budget Perspective
The relationship between supply and demand for forages in different conditions of the Brazilian livestock production is still approached subjectively without the proper technical background that the topic deserves. One of the main points in the yield evaluation of the agricultural activity is based on the measurement of each detail that is produced and lost, so new management options can be safely established to reach higher standards in productivity.
The livestock production, differently to that happens with the crop production, has a usually longer cycle than many crops, sometimes absorbing longer and accumulative losses that reduce significantly the efficiency of these systems. One of the lessons that we can have out of the crop systems comes from the poultry and swine industry. The technological development of these sectors was fundamental to the increase of the animal protein supply of low cost at large scale to an increasing world population, particularly in emerging countries. Part to these results? Strict control on the gains and losses measurements along the chain of production in the field, associated to investments in health, nutrition and breeding. Where is the Brazilian ruminant production into this context?
We can say the we are able to increase significantly our yield of beef and milk, without compromise natural areas covered by forests, using our current grassland fields where animals can be raised in better welfare conditions much closer to those that the society really expect from us.
It’s not an easy task due to size of the country and the multiple factors related to animal production under grazing (drought, flooding, pests, frosts, etc.) that are not present in feedlot systems. Although the perspective of cattle production under grazing demands a broad approach, one fundamental starting point for most farmers to increase the efficiency of their systems is precisely measure what they are able to produce as feed to the animals. Some sampling techniques for pastures are found in different sources with relatively success, but using the results from these procedures is also fundamental to set what we use to call as FORAGE BUDGET.
In the link attached to the post is presented an example of a spreadsheet with seasonal yield of some forages to the southeast region of Brazil that can be adjusted with information of other species e yield. In the spreadsheet can be seen the huge variation of pasture yield due the seasonal patterns of rainfall, the most common factor affecting the seasonal forage production in Brazil. In a brief simulation it can be realized the importance of measuring the forage production to better define a management so the animals have regular access to feed during the year, even that the forage is supplied directly for graze or as conserved forage for silage or hay.
Not related to pastures but quite interesting additional reading:
World in the Balance: The Historic Quest for an Absolute System of Measurement.
16 February 2014
Master Program in Animal Science – UFPR has its first dissertation defense
The Master Program in Animal Science - UFPR achieved its first dissertation defense in 13 February. The defense was accomplished by the master student Luciana Helena Kowalski, supervised by the professors Dr. José Antônio de Freitas (Supervisor) and Dr. Paulo Rossi Jr (Co-Supervisor), and presented the study relating how feed intake and reproductive parameters can be used as decision tools to selection of Purunã growing bulls for sexual precocity and productive performance. The Purunã beef cattle has been under development by the Agriculture Institute of Paraná (IAPAR) to be a new composite Beef Cattle crossed by Aberdeen Angus, Charolaise, Canchim and Caracu breeds.
This defense is the starting point to others which will be presented during the first semester of 2014 and that conclude research activities of the first master students of the program. According to Dr. José Luis Moletta, researcher from IAPAR and one of the members of the examination board, the results presented by Luciana in her study will be of great importance as decision tools applied by the IAPAR to build the Purunã as a new composite beef cattle breed to attend the demand for younger animals with higher performance. The animals used in the experiment are now spread on different regions of Brazil as improved bulls. Following this study, the IAPAR will now identify the progeny of the best bulls proved by the Luciana's experiment on commercial farm conditions.
06 February 2014
Rural Show 2014: Cascavel-PR
Work group of the Animal Nutrition Laboratory of UFPR participated of the Rural Show 2014, in Cascavel-PR, Brazil. The fair is an annual event open to the public which takes place from 3 to 7 February. In the event, regarded as one of the top exhibition fairs involving the state of art on the technology applied to agriculture, are presented dynamic exhibitions of all sort of machines and appliances from the newest generation in the world agriculture. Although the fair is driven more to crop science, in the event are also presented diverse plots with forage species to graze and conservation use, technical approaches and machines of livestock production interest, particularly on swine, poultry, beef and dairy cattle systems.
In the beef cattle demonstration field, the GENFOR could see the management proposed by the Agricultural Institute of Paraná (IAPAR) to the Livestock-Crop Rotation for soybean and beef production in an area of 2,5ha. About 30% of the total area is kept under continuous stock grazing with Mombaça grass (Panicum maximum cv. Mombaça) and the rest of the area cultivated with soybeans during the summer and sowed with oats, rye, triticale and legume during the winter as an additional area for grazing. In this system, the cattle kept under grazing all yearlong receiving a supplement of oat grains only at finishing has yielded about 1500 kg carcass/ha/year and 4200 kg/ha of soybean, with better mulch for soil protection and more nutrient cycling.
22 January 2014
Professor from UFPR is author of chapter book edited by EMBRAPA
The book “Construção de ideótipos de gramíneas para usos diversos” (Building grass ideotypes for multiple uses), edited recently by the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA), has a chapter signed by professor Dr Américo Garcez, from Federal University of Paraná, coauthored with the researcher Dra Kátia Fernanda Gobbi, from the Agricultural Institute of Paraná. The chapter describes the morpho-anatomical and physiological characteristics of grasses related to drought tolerance.
This book is result of an effort of a group of researchers from different Brazilian research and academic institutions motivated by the importance of identifying grass ideotypes for plant breeding and selection. The book was based on a scientific meeting organized by EMBRAPA – Cattle Southeast where researchers were invited to discuss the multiple aspects of grass adjustments to biotic and abiotic factors. Such adjustments, regarding a continental country like Brazil formed by various natural ecosystems and subjected to intense climate changes, demand an integrate approach between different science fields to support a more effective sustainable agricultural activity.
Between the topics presented in the book is the nutritional value, intercropping, seed production, biomass energy, tolerance to cold, water deficit, flooding, drought, pests, etc. At the end are presented various functional grass ideotypes for different uses. With the book, students and researchers will have a good background to support the management of grasses for diverse uses.
20 December 2013
Professors from Hohenheim University - Germany - visit Federal University of Paraná in Palotina
Professors from University of Hohenheim - Germany - visited the Federal University of Paraná, in Palotina, aiming the possibility of developing joint research projects with the Master Program in Animal Science in the areas of Crop-Livestock Rotation, Agroforestry Systems and Animal Nutrition with the exchange of experience among students and researchers. The professors, Dr. Uta Dickhöfer and Dr. Marcus Giese, make part of the Institute of Animal Production and the Institute of Plant Production and Agroecology, respectively, within which the studies are focused on tropical and sub-tropical conditions.
During the visit, between 16 and 19 December, the reseachers were welcomed by professor Dr. Americo Garcez, director of the Master Program in Animal Science, who has developed projects on pasture management, conserved forages and ruminant nutrition. The researchers had the opportunity to know the campus of Palotina and its facilities, as well as the Agricultural Institute of Paraná (IAPAR) in Santa Tereza do Oeste, an agroindustry company and private farms in the region.
The western of Paraná is known as one of the most advanced regions in technological development applied in agriculture and has been expanding rapidly their crops in integration with livestock and forests, requiring more specific approaches to attend the demands of high sustainable productivity for maintenance of local landowners in their activity. According to Dr. Garcez the visit opens possibilities for using more qualified scientific strategies in solving problems that still limit local sustainability in agriculture and livestock production.
14 December 2013
Laboratory of Animal Nutrition will be relocated to the new Campus building in the first semester of 2014
Since its establishment, with the course of Veterinary Medicine, Palotina Campus – UFPR has been engaged in supporting the development and training of qualified professionals with emphasis on Animal Nutrition. During nearly 20 years the qualification of students and services to our community in the area of Animal Nutrition was supported by the work of a group of professors who made possible the current Laboratory of Animal Nutrition to the course of Veterinary Medicine.
After years of work through different managers, the UFPR will soon open a new facility that for years had been requested for the continuous growth of Animal Production in the Palotina Campus. The future Animal Nutrition Laboratory will be part of a bigger and new facility to be open in the first semester of 2014. The new laboratory will follow better patterns of safety and welfare, and academic and research capabilities, assuring better support for other courses that seek our services, research and academic support.
Despite the new Animal Nutrition Laboratory is of about 40% bigger than the current facility, it is important to note that the Palotina Campus along its recent history opened more undergraduate and postgraduate courses which have still been demanding strong investments to support the constant growth in this area. This demonstrates the significant role of UFPR to the western of Paraná to provide best qualified professionals, scientific and specialized services in Animal Nutrition.
24 November 2013
Students of
GENFOR present scientific papers in the Northeast Congress on Animal Production
The students of the Scientific Initiation Program, who are part of the Study Group on Ruminant Nutrition and Forage Crops (GENFOR ) , Dayanna Pastal Bruna and L. Portela, presented scientific papers in the Northeast Congress on Animal Production , held in Fortaleza – Ceará - Brazil. The posters are part of the dissertation work of the Master student Diana R. Vivian, supervised by Dr. Américo Garcez (Supervisor) and Dr. José Antônio de Freitas (Co-supervisor) and show how the inclusion of urea in the ruminant diets as a source of non-protein nitrogen (NPN) can influence blood parameters and growth performance of lambs.
The use of non- protein sources in ruminant nutrition has been recommended practice in nutritional planning for different ruminants, particularly among beef cattle. However, most results have been often measured only in terms of yield parameters. In the present study, lambs were fed with increasing levels of urea (0, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5% ), and besides having their performance evaluated, they had their blood parameters monitored to keep the urea into a safe range of use for these animals.
Although the results between the different diets have not pointed to significant advantages for urea to increase lamb performance, the use of urea into the levels which were tested did not cause metabolic disorder to the animals. Being a cheaper source of nitrogen than true proteins, urea can be used to replace some true protein foods used in the diets, especially in periods when these foods have a significant rise in their costs.
Master's degree in Animal Science - UFPR Palotina
Selection process of students for Master in Animal Science is open until 11 december 2013.
18 October 2013
Research of the Graduate Program in Animal Science – UFPR Palotina – is presented in congress in Australia
Research developed at the Graduate Program in Animal Science ( PPGCA ) , with the participation of students of the Study Group on Ruminant Nutrition and Forage Crops (GENFOR), Campus Palotina , was presented between 15th and 19th September at the 22nd International Grassland Congress , held in Sydney - Australia .
The study characterizes the potential of Pennisetum purpureum – Cultivar Pioneiro – for silage making in comparison with the use of maize. The search for other forage species for silage with quality and production equivalent to maize has been a challenge for the scientific community as global climate change makes certain ecosystems increasingly vulnerable to an increasing number of days under water deficit.
The use of cultivars of Pennisetum purpureum species creates viable alternatives for properties facing this kind of problem, because it is a perennial species with high production capacity, more tolerant to drought and with good nutritional value. The research was presented in four posters that evaluated the losses (dry matter, gases and effluents) related to silage making of Pioneiro grass compared to maize silage and in combination with whole plant maize and maize grain. In the congress , the posters were presented by professor Dr. Americo Garcez and his master student Tiago Machado dos Santos .
6 September 2013
Study Group on Ruminant Nutrition and Forage Crops participates of the Field Day organized by IAPAR in Santa Tereza do Oeste
The Study Group on Ruminant Nutrition and Forage Crops, as well as teachers and students of Veterinary Medicine and Agronomy courses from UFPR participated, on 4 september 2013, the Field Day sponsored by the Agricucultural Institute of Paraná (IAPAR) in Santa Terez do Oeste-PR. At the event were presented several alternative winter crops for Crop-Livestock integration. Among the alternatives for the winter were highlighted the potential of different cultivars of oats, triticale and rye, and the use of legumes such as lupine and pea.
8 August 2013
Pasture management at UFPR Palotina begins to be monitored by Canopy Analysis System
The Forage and Grazing Research Unit received a few days ago the canopy analysis system (SunScan) Delta T Devices - UK. The equipment, one of the most advanced device available for canopy analysis, has been acquired with CNPq funds and will be used in research with silvopastoral systems in the region and in the management of forage species in the campus.
The device allows us to monitor, through the flow of radiation in vegetation cover, the most appropriate time to harvest the forage efficiently. The multiple parameters recorded with the device can be associated with technical parameters of most widespread use among producers enabling more sustainable management of pastures.
Study Group on Ruminant Nutrition and Forage Crops has a technical meeting with the Agricultural Institute of Paraná - Paranavaí
Students from the Study Group on Ruminant Nutrition and Forage Crops (GENFOR) did a visit to the Agricultural Institute of Paraná (IAPAR), at Paranavaí Experimental Station, in a technical meeting in the last month. During the visit the GENFOR was attended by the IAPAR researchers Dra. Kátia Fernanda Gobbi and Dr. José Jorge S. Abrahão. Dra. Kátia Gobbi did a presentation of some projects developed at the station related to the Animal and Forage Production Program from the institute and showed to the GENFOR group the infrastructure and the running projects in the field related to Crop-Livestock Farming.
The GENFOR group was represented by Professor Dr. Americo Garcez, students of the Scientific Initiation Program-UFPR (Dayanna Pastal and Lucas Leffers Neto) and student of the Graduate Program in Animal Science (Tiago Machado dos Santos). The visit enabled the students see how the learning at the university can be applied in different field conditions.
2 August 2013
Field class on methodological approach for forage mass evaluation in pastures
Students of the fourth period of Veterinary Medicine had a field class of the Forage Crops and Pasture Management course for assessing the availability of forage mass. The lecture was also supported by the postgraduate student of the Master Program in Animal Science, Tiago Machado dos Santos. In class the students had the opportunity to understand the sampling process, as the use of different frames for sampling, packaging, transportation and weighing and measuring sward height. During the class the students could test how to calibrate a set of measurements to estimate the herbage mass, as well as how to determine the growth rate of the plants.
3 June 2013
Laboratory of Animal Nutrition improves its infrastructure to food analysis
The Laboratory of Animal Nutrition now has new equipments for the analysis of fiber and fat. The devices (Ankom Technology – USA) follow the AOAC standards in the respective analyze and provide a faster and secure methodology for best accuracy in the results.
With the equipment, the lab will have a better perform to provide analyzes in academic, research and community service activities.
14 May 2013
Laboratory of Animal Nutrition will offer a course of "Diet Formulation"
The Laboratory of Animal Nutrition will develop in the first semester of 2014 a course for development of diet formulation using electronic spreadsheet. The course has the aim to allow users of spreadsheet application how to develop programs based on animal requirements and food analysis to attend specific formulations in animal nutrition.
With the growing number of information on nutritional requirements and food composition available on the internet it is possible to associate these databases in spreadsheets to adjust the nutritional demands of the animal in a fast, dynamic and interactive process.
Unit of Grazing and Research on Forages - UFPR
The Unit of Grazing and Forage Research (UGFR) begins to be settled in the Palotina Campus. The preparation of the area of approximately 2.8 ha began in December 2012. The field was sown with a hybrid cultivar of Brachiaria provided by Dow AgroSciences. In its final stage of establishment the area will be divided into 16 paddocks, which will initially be used in rotational stocking management.
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