Fontes proteicas alternativas na alimentação de ovinos em confinamento

Abstract

The objective was to evaluate the consumption, performance and carcass yield of sheep fed with alternative protein sources. Were used 32 SRPD sheep (with no defined racial pattern), with a mean weight initial of 22.34 ± 2.05 kg and initial mean age of 4 months, distributed in a completely randomized design with four treatments and eight replicates. The animals were housed in individual stalls to monitor weight gain, determination of intake and apparent digestibility of dry matter and nutrients. Massai grass hay and cactus forage were the basis of the experimental diets, which differed in relation to the protein sources: soybean meal, babaçú pie, coconut pie and cotton pie. When they reached approximately 35 kg of LW the animals were slaughtered in order to evaluate the carcass yields. It was observed the effect (P <0.05) of treatments on dry matter intake (DMI), organic matter (OMI), crude protein (CPI), nonfibrous carbohydrates (NFCI), neutral detergent fiber (NDFI) and ether extract (EEI). The animals fed soybean meal had the highest of dry matter intake (1.27 kg / day), organic matter (1.16 kg/day), crude protein (0.142 kg/day), and non-fibrous carbohydrates (0,64 kg/day). The highest INDF and IEE were of the animals fed with cotton pie (0.440 kg / day) and coconut pie (0.061 kg / day), respectively. There was an effect (P <0.05) for the DAG with higher averages for the animals that were fed with cotton pie. No effect was observed on hot and cold carcass yields. The content of the gastrointestinal tract was affected by alternative protein sources with higher mean values for animals fed with coconut pie (6.30 kg). Cotton pie and babassu pie can be used as alternatives to soybean meal in diets for confined sheep. Due to the lower performance of coconut pie fed animals, their use should be conditioned to economic value and availability as a source of protein.