Digestão e desempenho de vacas leiteiras consumindo dietas com castanha de caju

Abstract

The inclusion of cashew nut consist of viable alternative for feeding lactating dairy cows due to its nutrient composition and low cost compared to corn and soybean. However its potential is still little explored. The objective of this research was to evaluate the intake, the dynamics of ruminal fermentation, the ingestive behavior, the concentration of purine derivatives, the apparent digestibility, the passage rate, the milk production and composition of cows fed with diets containing increasing levels of cashew nut. The “in situ” degradabilities of the corn silage, the cashew nut and the concentrate were evaluated. The treatments consisted of increasing levels (0, 8, 16 and 24%) of cashew nut (CC) in the concentrated portion of the diet. The addition of CC to the diet did not affect the intake, the digestibility, the ingestive behavior, the ruminal fermentation, nor the concentrations of purine derivatives. However, maintained the milk yield and the feed efficiency. The milk fat percentage decreased linearly with CC addition to the diet. Probably, due to the fatty acids profile of CC, the milk fatty acids profile was altered shaving smaller proportions of C16:0 and larger of long chain fatty acid. The cashew nut is a potential alternative for feeding lactating dairy cows due to the high protein avaibility and fat. Also, the production of milk with larger proportions of healthy fatty acids should be considered.