Effect of different blend levels of spineless cactus and Mombasa hay as roughage on intake, digestibility, ingestive behavior, and performance of lambs.

This study aimed to determine the best level of the blend of spineless cactus (Nopalea cochenillifera) and Mombasa (Panicum maximum) hay as roughage in the diet of lambs based on intake, digestibility, ingestive behavior, and lamb performance. Forty-eight uncastrated crossbred Santa Ines breed lambs with an average age of 4 months old and an average initial BW of 20.5 kg ± 2.8 kg were distributed in two experiments using a completely randomized design: experiment 1: 16 lambs (four treatments and four replicates) for in vivo digestibility trial in metabolic cage; experiment 2: 32 lambs (four treatments and eight replicates) in feedlot to determine intake, ingestive behavior, and performance. As the amount of cactus in the roughage increased, there was a linear reduction (P <0.001) on intake (g/day) of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), non-fibrous carbohydrates (NFC) digestibility, time spent ruminating, feeding efficiency of NDF (P = 0.0153), NDF rumination efficiency rate (P = 0.032), final BW, TWG, and ADG of lamb. However, there was a linear increase (P <0.001) on the intake of the NFC and TDN, digestibility coefficient of DM, CP, total carbohydrates (TC) and NDF gross energy, metabolizable energy, and time spent idling when spineless cactus increased in the roughage blend. The least amount of cactus in the roughage (112-637 g/kg DM) promoted higher intake of DM and CP, improving lamb performance. However, the blend up to 450-300 g/kg DM improved digestibility and energy production as well as it did not affect the feed efficiency.

Avaliação de diferentes níveis de inclusão de palma forrageira (Nopalea cochenillifera) no volumoso da dieta de ovinos

Este trabalho foi conduzido com o objetivo de avaliar diferentes níveis de inclusão de palma forrageira (Nopalea cochenillifera) na dieta de ovinos sobre a digestibilidade dos nutrientes, o desempenho através do ganho de peso médio diário (GPMD), consumos de alimentos, conversão alimentar (CA) e comportamento ingestivo dos animais. Foram utilizados 32 ovinos Santa Inês, sendo 16 machos, não castrados, e 16 fêmeas, com aproximadamente quatro meses de idade, e média de peso inicial de 20,5 kg ± 2,8 kg. Os animais foram alojados em gaiolas de madeira individuais de 1,20 m x 1,00 m para o ensaio de desempenho e comportamento ingestivo, e em gaiolas metabólicas individuais de dimensão 1,0 m x 0,6 m para o ensaio de digestibilidade, todas providas de comedouros e bebedouros individuais. Nos ensaios foram testados os efeitos de quatro relações de diferentes níveis de inclusão da palma forrageira (15; 30; 45 e 60 %) no volumoso das dietas, com base na matéria seca. As dietas foram compostas por 75% de ingredientes volumosos (feno de capim-Mombaça e palma forrageira) e 25 % de concentrado (milho moído, farelo de soja, ureia e sal mineral), As dietas foram ajustadas para cordeiros com estimativa para ganho de peso de 200 g/dia por animal. Os cordeiros alimentados com dietas contendo diferentes níveis de inclusão da palma forrageira miúda não apresentaram diferenças significativas (P>0,05) para consumo de matéria seca (CMS) e ganho de peso médio diário (GPMD) em função das dietas. Os níveis crescentes de palma elevaram os coeficientes de digestibilidade de matéria seca, proteína bruta, carboidratos totais, fibra em detergente neutro, energia bruta e o teor de energia metabolizável. Foi observado no comportamento ingestivo que, dietas com níveis de 15 a 60 % de inclusão da palma forrageira miúda apresentaram resultados significantes (P<0,05) para tempo total de ruminação e ócio, apresentando redução de forma linear Y=590,00 - 3,553.X na digestão e aumento de forma linear Y= 520 + 4,206.X do tempo em ócio dos animais. Conclui-se que a adição de palma forrageira em substituição ao feno de capim-Mombaça até o nível de 60% não apresentou efeito significativo para o desempenho dos animais, melhorando o coeficiente de digestibilidade de vários componentes da dieta, como ocasionou redução no tempo de ruminação e aumento no tempo de ócio, apontando para uma opção viável na terminação de ovinos confinados.

This study was conducted to evaluate different levels of cactus (Nopalea cochenillifera) in the diet of sheep on the digestibility of nutrients, the performance by the average daily weight gain (DWG), feed consumptions, feed conversion ( FC) and ingestive behavior of animals. We used 32 Santa Inês lambs, 16 males, not castrated, and 16 females, with approximately four months old, and average initial weight of 20.5 kg ± 2.8 kg. The animals were housed in individual wooden cages of 1.20 mx 1.00 m for the test performance and ingestive behavior, and in individual metabolic cages of size 1.0 mx 0.6 m for the digestibility trial, all provided of individual feeders and drinkers. In trials tested the effects of four different levels of relations of inclusion of cactus pear (15, 30, 45 and 60%) of the forage diets, dry matter basis.The diets were composed of 75% of ingredients forage (hay and forage cactus-Mombasa) and 25% concentrate (corn, soybean meal, urea and mineral salt), diets were adjusted to estimate lambs gain weight 200 g / day per animal. Lambs fed diets containing different levels of inclusion of cactus girl showed no significant differences (P> 0.05) for dry matter intake (DMI) and average daily weight gain (DWG) as a function of the diets. The increasing levels of palm increased the digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, total carbohydrates, neutral detergent fiber, gross energy and metabolizable energy. It was observed that in ingestive behavior, diets with 15 to 60% inclusion of cactus girl showed significant results (P <0.05) for total time ruminating and idle, decreasing linearly Y = 590,00 – 3,553. X digestion and an increase linearly Y = 520 + 4,206. X in idle time of the animals. It is concluded that the addition of cactus in replacement of grass hay Mombasa to the 60% level had no significant effect on animal performance, improving the digestibility of various dietary components, such as caused reduction in time rumination and increased leisure time, pointing to a viable option in finishing feedlot sheep.