Replacing cassava meal by forage cactus meal in sheep diets

Abstract

Evaluate the nutrient intake, performance and carcass characteristics of crossbred sheep receiving diets with replacement of cassava meal by the forage cactus in the northeast of semi-arid were the objective of this study. Twenty sheep, male, with an average age of 10 months and average body weight of 20.0 ± 4.0 kg were used. The animals were assigned to randomized block experimental design with four replicates and five treatments, remaining confined for 78 days. Zero, 25; 50; 75 and 100% were the replacement levels. The roughage: concentrate relation was 50:50, and amonied buffelgrass was the used roughage. The dry matter intake (DMI), neutral detergent fiber (NDFI), acid detergent fiber (ADFI) and not fibrous carbohydrates (NFCI) expressed as % of BW showed no statistical difference between the treatments and obtained averages of 4.1 ; 2.2; 1.5, and 3.2 % respectively. The DMI expressed in kg / day showed linear behavior, and each 25 % of inclusion of forage cactus meal was an increase of 91.5 g of DM. The CPI, NDFI, ADFI and NFCI expressed in kg / day also showed linear behavior. There was no difference between treatments for the performance and carcass characteristics. The average gain, feed conversion, hot and cold yield were respectively: 100.0 g / day, 12.9, 41.9% and 39.4. The diets tested provide average body weight gain of 100 g / animal / day, but not promoted differences in performance and carcass characteristics of animals.