NRC (2001) equations to predict the energy value of agroindustry byproducts in Brazilian northeast

Abstract

Fractions of carbohydrates and protein, and energy value estimative based in NRC (2001) equations, of agroindustry byproducts of cashew, passion fruit, melon, anatto seeds, pineapple and barbados cherry were evaluated. NRC (2001) equations were used to predict the energy value of the passion fruit, pineapple and barbados cherry using “in vivo” data. Carbohydrates fraction A + B1 ranged from 20.00 to 52.21% of the total carbohydrates, for melon and anatto seeds, respectively. Cashew and barbados cherry presented close values for the fraction B2 (11.88 and 14.25%) and C (52.69 and 59.45%) and, approximately three times lower of fraction B2 than the passion fruit and the pineapple (47.93 and 45.38%). It was concluded that the analyses of the fractions of carbohydrates and protein should be a laboratorial routine, since it consists in a simple analysis, inexpensive and allows the establishment of mechanicists parameters for feed evaluations. The observed values of TDN of ingredients and those predicted by NRC (2001) equations were similar, being appropriate to predict the energy value of feeds in Brazilian conditions.