Parâmetros ruminais e ganho em peso de caprinos sprd suplementados em pastejo na caatinga

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate ruminal parameters in goats with no defined racial pattern, supplemented and maintained in a continuous grazing system in the caatinga. The experiment was carried out at the Small Ruminants Research Unit of the Experimental Station of São João do Cariri, belonging to the CCA / UFPB. The experiment lasted for 120 days, with the first 10 days of diet adaptation. Twenty male animals, castrated with approximately 16 kg of body weight, were distributed in a completely randomized design. The animals were distributed in four treatments, which will consist of the levels of (concentrated) supplementation of 0.0; 0.5; 1.0 and 1.5%. The supplement was composed of: corn meal, soybean meal, wheat bran and mineral mix, with 16.5% CP and 2.72 ME / kg DM to meet an average gain of 150 g / animal / day. The animals had access to native pasture from 6:00 p.m. and were collected at 4:00 p.m., when they remained housed in individual stalls to receive supplementation. The animals were weighed weekly to monitor weight gain. The pH and N-NH3 of the ruminal liquid were evaluated and the results were submitted to regression analysis and with this, the pH presented a non-significant result, whereas N-NH3 showed a linear effect. The use of any of the levels of supplementation can be inserted into the feed without affecting the ruminal environment, but for a greater gain of weight of goats in a caatinga grazing system is indicated the supplementation of 1.5%.