Babassu mesocarp flour in diet of finishing lambs

Abstract

Twenty crossbred lambs (21.6 ± 3.5 kg BW) were used in a completely randomised design to determine the effects of babassu mesocarp flour (BMF) on performance and ingestive behaviour. The treatments were defined by the increase in concentrations (0, 10, 20 or 30%, in DM basis) of BMF in the diet. When significant treatments effects were found, orthogonal polynomials for treatment responses were determined by linear and quadratic responses (p < .05). To determine the in situ ruminal degradability of the diets used in performance trial, one rumen-fistulated Santa Inês male sheep (63 kg BW) was used in a completely randomised design in a split splot arrangement with three replications (three periods of incubation) in times 3, 6, 24 and 72 h. Data from potential degradability (PD), dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) degradability for diets and the incubation time were compared by t-test (p < .05). Negative quadratic effect was observed upon nutrients intake, except for neutral detergent fiber (NDF) intake. The average daily gain, body condition score, feeding efficiency of DM and time spent in feeding decreased linearly with BMF addition. The BMF decreased the soluble fraction (a) potentially degradable fraction (b) PD, effective degradability of DM and CP and the NDF degradability. The addition of BMF in diets of sheep had negative effects on performance, feed efficiency of DM and degradability of DM, CP and NDF. However, the BMF can be used in diets, during the conventional grains off-season, at concentration up to 10.5% as alternative feed. HIGHLIGHTS The mesocarp produced from industrialization of the babassu coconut has a great content of fiber and lignin. The great content of fiber associated to decrease in degradation of fiber and potential degradability in DM and CP reduced the performance of lambs. Although the reduction of the performance, BMF can partially replace the corn in diets of lambs in periods that the price of this ingredient is great.

Characteristics of Nutrition, Growth, Carcass and Meat of Male Goats Fed Babassu Mesocarp Flour

“…Although changes in kinetics of fermentation have been reported to result in a decrease of ruminal fermentation [4,24] and NDF digestibility [3] with BMF addition, because of the higher acid detergent fiber (ADF) content [25] in BMF, in this study, the NDF digestibility increased linearly.…”

“…However, there is a greater demand for grains, which are also used in human nutrition, in formulation of diets. Because of this, studies with co-product addition to replace conventional grains in ruminant diets have increased [2][3][4]. Among many vegetable species in Brazil, babassu (Attalea speciosa) is a palm tree found between the Cerrado and the Amazon Forest, which is native to the northern and northeastern states of Brazil [5].…”

“…The babassu mesocarp flour (BMF), extracted from mesocarp, is offered in the market at low cost. It is considered an energetic ingredient because of the high starch content [7] and has been used to replace ground corn in the diets of lambs [3,4].…”

“…Except for a few studies with lambs [3,4] that reported a decrease in dry matter intake, nutrient digestibility, and average daily gain, there is no available information on the efficacy of babassu mesocarp flour (BMF) addition in male goat diets. It is known that goat species are more efficient in fiber digestibility [8], and because of this, we hypothesized that male goats fed diets with BMF addition would have similar growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality as those fed diets with conventional grains in the diet.…”

By-Product of Cotton Agribusiness as an Alternative Protein Source for Rams

“…By-products can reduce diets costs, since cottonseed cake costs about 40% that of soybean meal, to the farmer. Providing feed, with low-cost and alternative feed quality to meet animal's nutritional requirements without competing with food for human's, ensures a more sustainable production system [4][5][6][7].…”