Nutritional value of babassu cake as a substitute for sugarcane in feeding heifers

• Published in: Ciência agronômica 2024, Vol.55
• Main Authors: Castro, Kélvia Jácome De, Borges, Iran, Miotto, Fabrícia Rocha Chaves, Pimentel, Patrícia Guimarães, Gomes, Silas Primola, Moreira, Guilherme Rocha, Pinto, Andrea Pereira, Neiva, Jose Neuman Miranda
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agro-industrial by-product; AGRONOMY; Alternative feeds; Nutritional value; Orbignya speciosa; Weight gain
• ISSN: 1806-6690; 1806-6690
• DOI: 10.5935/1806-6690.20240006

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate intake, digestibility and performance in dairy heifers fed diets containing increasing levels of babassu cake (0, 100, 200 and 300 g kg-1 dry matter - DM) as a substitute for sugarcane treated with calcium oxide. Twenty-four heifers with an initial mean weight of 190.8 + 40.8 kg were used, distributed in a completely randomised design. The dry matter intake (DMI), neutral detergent fibre intake (NDFI) and acid detergent fibre intake (ADFI), as %BW and g BW-0.75 , showed an increasing linear response. The organic matter intake (OMI) showed a linear increase of 40 g day-1, 0.017%BW and 0.66 g BW-0.75 for each 10 g kg-1 increase in babassu cake in the diet. The apparent digestibility of the dry matter (ADDM) and organic matter (ADOM) showed a quadratic response (P < 0.05), with a minimum of 493 g kg-1 DM for 150 g kg-1 DM and 526.5 g kg-1 DM for 320 g kg-1 DM as a substitute for the sugarcane, respectively. The final mean weight was not altered, presenting a value of 299.7 + 45.5 kg. Daily weight gain (DWG) showed a quadratic response, with the highest value at a substitution level of 190 g kg-1 DM. The feed conversion rate of the DM was not affected by the addition of babassu cake, with an average of 4.6 + 0.74 kg DM kg-1 in weight gain. Babassu cake can substitute hydrolysed sugarcane in heifer diets up to 300 g kg-1 DM, with the greatest weight gain seen at a substitution level of 190 g kg-1 DM.