Spineless cactus as a replacement for wheat bran in sugar cane-based diets for sheep: intake, digestibility, and ruminal parameters

• Published in: Revista brasileira de zootecnia 2016-01, Vol.45 (1), p.26-31
• Main Authors: Lins, Stephany Emyle Barbosa, Pessoa, Ricardo Alexandre Silva, Ferreira, Marcelo de Andrade, Campos, José Maurício de Souza, Silva, José Augusto Bastos Afonso da, Silva, Janaina de Lima, Santos, Stefanie Alvarenga, Melo, Tobias Tobit de Barros
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: AGRICULTURE, DAIRY & ANIMAL SCIENCE; animal nutrition; cactaceous; dry season; feed intake; rumen fermentation; semiarid; VETERINARY SCIENCES
• ISSN: 1516-3598; 1806-9290; 1516-3598
• DOI: 10.1590/S1806-92902016000100004

ABSTRACT - The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of replacing wheat bran by spineless cactus (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100%) in sugar cane-based diets on intake and nutrient digestibility and ruminal parameters of sheep. Five sheep (Santa Inês; average initial weight of 34.0±3.6 kg) were fitted with cannulas in the rumen and then assigned to a 5 × 5 Latin square design. The maximum dry matter (DM; 1414 g d−1), digestible organic matter (658 g d−1), and neutral detergent fiber corrected for ash and protein (NDFap; 425 g d−1) intakes were estimated by replacing 80.2, 89.9, and 50.5% of wheat bran. Dry matter and crude protein digestibility increased by 0.60 and 0.85 g kg-1 of DM. With the replacement of 57.1 and 62.2% of wheat bran, a maximum rate of NDF ingestion (0.70 h−1) and NDF ruminal pool (7.31 g) was obtained. Rumen pH increased with the inclusion of spineless cactus, while the maximum concentration of ammonia N (33.3 mg dL−1) and total volatile fatty acids (57.7 μmol mL−1) were estimated at the levels of 72.3 and 63.7% of replacement of wheat bran. It is recommended to replace 63% of wheat bran by spineless cactus in sugar cane-based diets, to promote better animal performance.