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.

O experimento foi realizado com os objetivos de determinar o consumo médio diário (CMD), o coeficiente de digestibilidade aparente (CDA) dos nutrientes do feno de aveia e ervilha e avaliar o balanço de nitrogênio em ovinos. Foram utilizados dez ovinos machos, castrados, com peso médio de 36,64 kg, alojados em gaiolas para metabolismo, em um delineamento experimental inteiramente casualizado com dois tratamentos (T1 = 80% de feno de aveia + 20% de ervilha e T2 = 60% de feno de aveia + 40% de ervilha) e cinco repetições por tratamento. Os tratamentos foram avaliados sob dois regimes alimentares (consumo voluntário e restrito). O CMD de matéria seca (MS) e fibra em detergente neutro (FDN) não diferiram entre tratamentos, e o CMD de fibra em detergente ácido (FDA) e fibra bruta (FB), foram maiores para o tratamento 1. Para animais sob regime de consumo voluntário, as médias de consumo desses nutrientes foram maiores para aqueles recebendo ração com 60% de feno + 40% de ervilha. Não houve diferença significativa entre os regimes alimentares para o coeficiente de digestibilidade aparente (CDA) da matéria seca (MS), extrato não nitrogenado (ENN) e proteína bruta (PB), entretanto, o CDA da matéria orgânica (MO), fibra em detergente ácido (FDA), fibra em detergente neutro (FDN) e fibra bruta (FB) foram maiores no consumo restrito. Observou-se que houve maiores CDA da MS, ENN, MO e PB no tratamento 2 e não houve diferenças entre os tratamentos para o CDA da FDN e FB.

This experiment was carried out with the objectives of determining the daily average intake (DAI), apparent digestibility coefficient (ADC) of oat hay and pea nutrients and to evaluate the nitrogen balance in sheep. Ten wethers with average weight of 36.64 kg, alloted to suitable cages, were used. A completely randomized design with two treatments (T1= 80% oat hay + 20% pea and T2= 60% oat hay + 40% pea) and five replicates, was used. The treatments were evaluated under two feeding systems (voluntary and restrict). Daily average intake of dry matter (DM) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) did not differ between treatments.Daily average intake of acid detergent fiber (ADF) and crude fiber (CF) were higher for treatment one. Animals submmitted to voluntary intake, showed higher nutrients average intake than the ones fed diet with 60% oat hay + 40% pea. There was no significant difference between both feeding systems to ADC of DM, nitrogen free extract (NFE) and crude protein (CP). However, ADC of organic matter (OM), ADF, NDF and CF were higher in restrict intake. There was higher ADC of DM, NFE, OM and CP in treatment two and there was no differences between treatments to ADC and NDF and CF.