ABSTRACT. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of replacement of corn with pre-dried cassava root silage (CRS) on intake, ingestive behavior, production and composition of goat milk. Five lactating Saanen goats were used, with 42.5 ± 4.2 kg body weight and production of 2 kg milk day-1, distributed in a 5 x 5 Latin square with five treatments: 0, 28.6, 58.0, 81.6 and 100% replacement of corn with CRS in the diet dry matter. Goats were monitored for five periods of 15 days each. The intake of dry matter, crude protein and neutral detergent fiber decreased linearly (p <0.05) with the replacement of corn with CRS. Feeding (348.5 ± 62.1 min.) and rumination (468.8 ± 83.8 min.) times were not influenced (p >0.05) by the replacement of corn with CRS, but the ingestion and rumination efficiencies had a linear increase (p > 0.05). Milk production (2.17 ± 0.45 kg day-1), fat (3.49 ± 0.42%), protein (3.11 ± 0.13%) and lactose (4.47 ± 0,11%) of goat milk were not influenced (p >0.05) by the replacement of corn with CRS. Therefore, it is recommended the total replacement of corn with pre-dried cassava root silage in the diet for dairy goats with an average production of 2 kg day-1.

ABSTRACT. This study evaluated the effect of replacing corn silage with spineless cactus, in combination with Tifton 85 hay or sugarcane bagasse, on the carcass measurements and sensory properties of the meat of lambs finished in feedlot. Twenty-one, intact, Santa Inês males, with an initial body weight of 22.86 ± 2.87 kg and an average age of 150 days, were individually confined for 74 days and fed at will three treatments diets: Corn silage (CS); Spineless cactus + Tifton 85 hay (CT) and Spineless cactus + sugarcane bagasse (CB). Lambs fed CT had a wider croup (p < 0.05) compared to animals fed CS. The replacement of corn silage with CT or CB did not influence (p > 0.05) the body length, withers height or chest circumference of the lambs. Values of carcass length and compactness index were similar (p > 0.05) between treatments. There was a high and positive correlation (p < 0.05) between chest width (0.82) and chest circumference (0.81) of animals with cold carcass weight. The odor and taste of sheep meat fed CT or CB was more accepted when compared to the meat of animals fed corn silage. The replacement of corn silage with spineless cactus in combination with Tifton 85 hay or sugarcane bagasse improves the sensory quality of sheep meat, but does not interfere with carcass measurements.

Foram estudados os efeitos da inclusão da raiz de mandioca em substituição ao milho sobre a digestibilidade dos nutrientes e comportamento ingestivo de cabras leiteiras de raça Saanen alimentadas com dietas à base de cana-de-açúcar. Foram utilizadas cinco cabras lactantes com produção média de 2 kg de leite dia-1, distribuídas em um quadrado latino 5 x 5, com cinco níveis de inclusão de raiz de mandioca (0, 10, 20, 30 e 40%) em substituição ao milho. A digestibilidade aparente da MS, PB, MO, EE, CHOT não foi influenciada pelos níveis de substituição do milho triturado por raiz de mandioca. A digestibilidade aparente da FDN diminuiu linearmente em função do aumento de raiz de mandioca nas dietas. A digestibilidade aparente dos CNF aumentou linearmente com o aumento de raiz de mandioca nas dietas. O comportamento ingestivo não sofreu influência da inclusão da raiz em substituição ao milho nos níveis estudados. A substituição do milho triturado pela raiz de mandioca não interfere na digestibilidade e no comportamento ingestivo de cabras em lactação.

It was studied the effects of inclusion of cassava in substitution of corn on nutrient digestibility and ingestive behavior of dairy goats of Saanen breed fed diets based on cane sugar. It was used five lactating goats with average production of 2 kg of milk per day allotted to 5 x 5 Latin square design with five levels of inclusion of cassava (0, 10, 20, 30 and 40%) replacing corn. The apparent digestibility of DM, CP, OM, TC was not affected by the replacement levels of ground corn for cassava. The apparent digestibility of the NDF fraction decreased linearly with the increase of cassava in diets. The apparent digestibility of NFC increased linearly with the increase of cassava in the diets. Feed behavior in all studied variables did not influence the inclusion of cassava in place of corn. The replacement of cracked corn by cassava did not affect the digestibility, and chewing behavior of lactation goats.