Torta de babaçu: consumo, digestibilidade, desempenho, energia metabolizável, energia líquida e produção de metano em ruminantes

Abstract

The objective was to assess the nutritional characteristics of babassu cake in diets for ruminants, characterizing its effect on nutrient intake, digestibility, nitrogen balance, energy metabolism, production of methane, performance and ingestive behavior. In experiment 1 were used 25 male sheep for determination of intake, nutrient digestibility, nitrogen balance, energy metabolism and methane production. The animals were fed diets containing babassu cake to replace hay Tifton-85 (7%, 14%, 21%, 28% and 35%) in a completely randomized design. The nutrient intakes were not affected by diets (P> 0,05). Only the digestibility of ADF was decreased linearly and TDN showed a linear increasing (P<0,05). The nitrogen balance showed a linear increasing (P<0,05). The intakes of digestible and metabolizable energy increased linearly (P<0,05). Methane production, as % of EB, decreased linearly (P<0,05). In experiment 2 levels were evaluated for replacement of cane sugar per babassu cake (0%, 10%, 20% and 30%) on nutrient intake, growth performance and ingestive behavior of 24 dairy heifers, allotted to a completely randomized design. The final weight (299,7 kg) and feed (4,6 kg DM/kg GP) were not affected by diets (P>0,05), however, the average daily gain showed a quadratic response, with the maximum gain on 19% inclusion of babassu cake. The time spent feeding and ruminating increased by 0,11% and 0,31%, respectively, for each 1% inclusion of babassu cake (P<0,05). The babassu cake, due to its nutritional characteristics and market availability, can be included in the diet of ruminants as a protein source and energy.