Palma (Opuntia Ficus Indica Mill) Cv. Gigante em suplementos para fêmeas leiteiras em crescimento a pasto

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of replacing corn in the palm supplements for dairy females in pasture growth at levels of 0, 33, 66 and 100% replacement. The mixture urea / ammonia (9:1) (urea) sulfate was used to adjust the crude protein supplements because of the differences in crude protein from corn and palm, and the variation in the level of urea between supplements was maximum 20 g / kg. Intake and apparent nutrient digestibility, animal performance, intake of nitrogenous compounds, nitrogen balance, synthesis and microbial efficiency and bioeconomy system were evaluated. The study was conducted at Farm Roçadinho, Capoeiras municipality, located in the Wasteland of Pernambuco region for the period 30/09/2012 to 19/01/2013, the corresponding region in the dry season, in a completely randomized design with four treatments and six replications , using 24 dairy females growing with an initial weight of 180 pounds. The experiment consisted of 28 days of diet adaptation and three experimental periods of 28 days each, to collect data and evaluate the performance of the animals. The intake of dry matter (DM), of pasture dry matter, organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber corrected for ash and protein (NDF) did not differ with levels of substitution of corn by the palm. The intake of indigestible neutral detergent fiber (NDFi) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) increased linearly, since the non-fibrous carbohydrate corrected for ash and protein (NFC), ether extract (EE) and total digestible nutrients (TDN ) linearly decreased (P<0.05). The apparent digestibility of DM, OM, NDF, ADF, CNF, EE and showed a linear decrease TDN and CP increased (P <0.05), with the substitution of corn by palm. The final weight gains, total average daily metabolic weight and observed decreased linearly, since feed conversion increased (P <0.05). No effect was observed on N intake and N excreted in urine. On the other hand there was a reduction in the nitrogen excreted in the faeces nitrogen balance and percentage of ingested nitrogen, although the N-urea excreted in urine increased (P <0.05). The levels of plasma urea-N (PUN) did not vary with the replacement. The replacement of corn by palm reduces performance of dairy females in pasture growth, thus the total or partial replacement is conditioned to the projection of age at first calving on the production system and economy of use.