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ObjectiveFresh sugarcane has been a new roughage source for ruminant’s in semiarid regions, a function of the decline of sugar and alcohol industry in recent years. However, there is little data published regarding lambs fed sugarcane associated with spineless cactus. This study evaluated the effect of sugarcane replacement with spineless cactus (0%, 33%, 66%, and 100%) in the diet of Santa Inês lambs on carcass characteristics.MethodsThirty-six non-castrated Santa Ines lambs at four months of age and an initial body weight of 22±2.3 kg were assigned in a randomized block design and slaughtered after 70 days of confinement. The effects of spineless cactus as a replacement for sugarcane in the diet of the lambs on the carcass characteristics, commercial cut weight and yield, leg tissue composition, and carcass measurements were studied.ResultsThe study revealed quadratic behavior in slaughter body weight, and hot and cold carcass weight, with maximum values of 38.60, 18.60, and 18.11 kg and replacement levels of 40.18%, 44.42%, and 43.14%, respectively. The cold carcass yield presented an increasing linear behavior. The compactness index of carcass and leg presented a quadratic effect, with estimated maximal values of 0.28 and 0.57 kg/cm and replacement levels of 43.37% and 45.5%, respectively. The weights of commercial cuts of leg, loin, shoulder, and breast showed quadratic behavior, with maximum values of 2.79, 0.852, 1.46, and 1.30 kg and replacement levels of 49.5, 45.32, 39.0, and 40.7, respectively. For tissue composition, quadratic behavior was verified for leg weight, subcutaneous fat, and total fat.ConclusionThe replacement of sugarcane by spineless cactus at level 44% is recommended for finishing lambs considering that this level improved most of the carcass characteristics, weights, and yields of commercial cuts and leg tissue composition.

The effects of replacement of sugarcane by spineless cactus (0, 33, 66, and 100 % on dry matter (DM) basis) were evaluated on intake, digestibility of nutrients, ingestive behavior, and performance of finishing lambs. Thirty-six non-castrated Santa Ines lambs at 4 months of age and an initial body weight of 22 ± 2.3 kg were assigned in a randomized block design. A quadratic effect was found for intake of DM, organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and digestible organic matter (DOM), with maximum values of 1.31, 1.19, 0.219, 0.358, and 0.845 g/day estimated with 42.5, 38.5, 38.8, 21.3, and 44.9 % replacement level, respectively. The digestibility of DM, OM, CP, and EE increased linearly; however, there was a quadratic effect on NDF digestibility with maximum value estimated of 500 g/kg with 64.2 % replacement level. Rumination time, total chewing, and rumination efficiency decreased linearly with the replacement levels; however, idle time increased linearly. A quadratic effect was found for final weight, body weight gain, and total weight gain with maximum values estimated of 38.6 kg, 0.232 kg/day, and 16.2 kg with 39.1, 38.2, and 40.4 % replacing levels. The replacement of 49.5 % sugarcane by spineless cactus can be recommended as optimal level, and problems related to intake, digestibility, and performance are concentrated outside that level.

-The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of replacing wheat bran by spineless cactus (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100%) in sugar cane-based diets on intake and nutrient digestibility and ruminal parameters of sheep. Five sheep (Santa Inês; average initial weight of 34.0±3.6 kg) were fitted with cannulas in the rumen and then assigned to a 5 × 5 Latin square design. The maximum dry matter (DM; 1414 g d −1 ), digestible organic matter (658 g d −1 ), and neutral detergent fiber corrected for ash and protein (NDFap; 425 g d −1 ) intakes were estimated by replacing 80.2, 89.9, and 50.5% of wheat bran. Dry matter and crude protein digestibility increased by 0.60 and 0.85 g kg -1 of DM. With the replacement of 57.1 and 62.2% of wheat bran, a maximum rate of NDF ingestion (0.70 h −1 ) and NDF ruminal pool (7.31 g) was obtained. Rumen pH increased with the inclusion of spineless cactus, while the maximum concentration of ammonia N (33.3 mg dL −1 ) and total volatile fatty acids (57.7 μmol mL −1 ) were estimated at the levels of 72.3 and 63.7% of replacement of wheat bran. It is recommended to replace 63% of wheat bran by spineless cactus in sugar cane-based diets, to promote better animal performance.

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