Inclusão de raiz de mandioca em rações de vacas em lactação

Abstract

he dairy industry in the state of Pernambuco has great productive potential, especially in the Agreste Region, which produced 73.02% of the 788.25 million liters of cow milk produced in 2009. However, the livestock production in the Northeast is affected by frequent droughts and irregular rainfall, making hard a rational exploitation of this activity, since it requires a consistency in production and food supply. This leads traditional production systems to low productivity levels observed in the region. In this context, it is observed that the feeding of ruminant livestock explored in the semi-arid Northeast is based on grazing native and exotic forages. A feedstuff grown quite successfully in the Northeast is the cactus pear (Nopalea cochenillifera Salm Dyck and Opuntia ficus indica Mill), because it is adapted to soil and climate conditions and have high dry matter production per unit of area, besides being an excellent source of water, energy, and hence TDN. However, the northeastern forage cactus crops have been decimated by the cactus pear cochineal (Dactylopius opuntiae) which has led to a search for viable alternative feedstuffs for the region. Thus, a possible alternative for producers is the use of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz), a plant commonly found in the region, which can be used to feed livestock. These cultures, when used in animal feed without technical-scientific criteria do not result in the expected animal performance for the high energy crops they are.