Intake and digestibility of diets with levels of palm kernel cake in sheep

Abstract

The effect of four levels addition (10; 20; 30 and 40%) of palm kernel cake (Elaeis guineensis) and Brachiaria humidicola were evaluated. The intake of dry matter, organic matter, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, cellulose, lignin and digestibility coefficient of dry matter, organic matter, neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber were evaluated, in a completely randomized design with four treatments and four replications. There was a quadratic effect of dry matter, neutral detergent fiber, and lignin g/day intake, linear effect of digestibility coefficient of acid detergent fiber and a reduction of dry matter % body weight/day intake with the increase of the palm kernel cake, while no difference among treatments was observed for organic matter intake. The palm kernel cake can be used until 30% inclusion level in the total diet of sheep without physiological or nutritional damage and it improved the apparent digestibility of acid detergent fiber.