Fontes de proteína em dietas à base de palma forrageira para ovinos em terminação

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different protein sources (soybean meal, cottonseed meal, cottonseed plus urea, and urea) associated with spineless cactus on consumption characteristics, ingestive behavior and performance of lambs. We used 40 male sheep no castrated without defined breed, with initial body weight of 23kg ± 1.66, divided into blocks, being slaughtered after 58 days of confinement. There was no statistical difference (P> 0.05) for intake dry matter, organic matter and total carbohydrate; rumination and feed efficiency due to the consumption of neutral detergent fiber; daily weight gain, total gain and feed conversion . There was a statistical difference (P <0.05) for intake of crude protein, neutral detergent fiber and acid, lipid and non-fiber carbohydrates, as well as the time spent on food, rumination, chewing and total efficiencies of power and rumination as a function of dry matter intake. The different protein sources can be used in diets based on spineless cactus for sheep in confinement, since they do not change the key performance variables, consumption and ingestive behavior animals. However, it is necessary to evaluate the costs of diets to identify the most efficient source.