ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate intake, digestibility and performance in dairy heifers fed diets containing increasing levels of babassu cake (0, 100, 200 and 300 g kg-1 dry matter - DM) as a substitute for sugarcane treated with calcium oxide. Twenty-four heifers with an initial mean weight of 190.8 + 40.8 kg were used, distributed in a completely randomised design. The dry matter intake (DMI), neutral detergent fibre intake (NDFI) and acid detergent fibre intake (ADFI), as %BW and g BW-0.75 , showed an increasing linear response. The organic matter intake (OMI) showed a linear increase of 40 g day-1, 0.017%BW and 0.66 g BW-0.75 for each 10 g kg-1 increase in babassu cake in the diet. The apparent digestibility of the dry matter (ADDM) and organic matter (ADOM) showed a quadratic response (P < 0.05), with a minimum of 493 g kg-1 DM for 150 g kg-1 DM and 526.5 g kg-1 DM for 320 g kg-1 DM as a substitute for the sugarcane, respectively. The final mean weight was not altered, presenting a value of 299.7 + 45.5 kg. Daily weight gain (DWG) showed a quadratic response, with the highest value at a substitution level of 190 g kg-1 DM. The feed conversion rate of the DM was not affected by the addition of babassu cake, with an average of 4.6 + 0.74 kg DM kg-1 in weight gain. Babassu cake can substitute hydrolysed sugarcane in heifer diets up to 300 g kg-1 DM, with the greatest weight gain seen at a substitution level of 190 g kg-1 DM.

Foram avaliadas as características agronômicas dos híbridos de sorgo, AG-2005 (duplo propósito) e VOLUMAX (forrageiro) para produção de silagem, cultivados nos espaçamentos de 1,00; 0,75; e 0,50 m entre linhas em Neossolo Quartzarênico Órtico, resultando nas densidades de 140.000; 186.666 e 280.000 plantas por hectares, respectivamente. Para tais avaliações foi utilizado o delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso num arranjo fatorial (2 x 3). Foram determinadas as produções de matéria seca total (PMST), de lâmina foliar (PMLF), de caule (PMSC) e de panícula (PMSP), bem como suas proporções na planta inteira. Ocorreu interação significativa entre híbrido de sorgo e espaçamento para as características PMST, PMSLF e PMSP. O híbrido VOLUMAX apresentou produções semelhantes nos três espaçamentos testados. O AG-2005 apresentou maior PMST (9.474,59 vs 6.842,91 kg ha-1) e PMSP (6.355,77 vs 3.032,40 kg ha-1) em relação ao VOLUMAX no espaçamento 0,50 m. O AG-2005 foi superior ao VOLUMAX no percentual de panícula nos espaçamentos 1,00 m (57,06 vs 40,22%) e 0,50 m (66,99 vs 43,55%) e o VOLUMAX foi superior no percentual de colmo nos espaçamentos 1,00 e 0,50 m. Recomenda-se o uso do híbrido AG-2005 cultivado sob espaçamento de 0,50 m para produção de silagem, em virtude da maior produção de MS por área, maior percentual de panícula e menor percentual de colmo na composição da planta em comparação ao híbrido VOLUMAX.

The objective of the experiment was to evaluate the agronomic characteristics of two sorghum hybrids for silage production, AG-2005 (double purpose) and VOLUMAX (forage) cultivated with different row spacing 1; 0.75 and 0.50 m, on Orthic Quartzarenic Neosol, resulting in 140,000; 186,666 e 280,000 plants per ha, respectively. A randomized block design with four replicates was used and the treatments consisted on a factorial arrangement 2 x 3. Were determined the total dry matter production (PMST), of leaves (PMLF), of stems (PMSC), and panicles (PMSP) per ha, and their proportion in the whole plant. Significant interaction occurred between sorghum hybrid and row spacing for PMST, PMSLF and PMSP. VOLUMAX showed similar production for the three row spacing. AG-2005 showed higher PMST (9,474.59 vs. 6,842.91 kg ha-1) and PMSP (6,355.77 vs. 3,032.40 kg ha-1) than VOLUMAX in 0.50 m row spacing. AG-2005 was superior to VOLUMAX for the percentage of panicles in 1 m (57.06 vs. 40.22%) and 0.50 m spacing (66.99 vs. 43.55%), and VOLUMAX was superior for stems percentages in the 1 and 0.50 m spacing. It is recommended the use of hybrid AG-2005 under spacing of 0.50 m for silage production, due to its higher dry matter production per area, higher percentage of panicle and lower percentage of stem in the composition of the plant compared to the hybrid VOLUMAX.