ABSTRACT. This study aimed to evaluate the intake, digestibility, and ingestive behavior of sheep fed with different species of forage cacti. Fifteen sheep (17.27kg ± 1 kg) were distributed in a completely randomized experimental design with three treatments and five replicates. The treatments were diets on a dry matter basis composed of 430.9 g kg-1 of thornless Mandacaru cactus (Cereus hildmannianus), 525.7 g kg-1 of cactus pear cv. Orelha de Elefante Mexicana (Opuntia stricta) and 492.1 g kg-1 of cactus pear cv. Miúda (Nopalea cochenillifera) in addition to Sabiá hay (Mimosa caesalpiniaefolia) (194.7 to 233.8 g kg-1), plus concentrate feed. The intake of the dry matter, organic matter, ether extract, neutral detergent fiber, total carbohydrates, non-fiber carbohydrates, total digestible nutrients and voluntary water intake in g day-1 was not differ (p > 0.05) by experimental diets. There were no differences (p > 0.05) in digestibility coefficients of the dry matter, organic matter, neutral detergent fiber, total carbohydrates, non-fiber carbohydrates, and total digestible nutrients between the experimental diets. The feeding times differed (p < 0.05) between diets, with a higher value for the Opuntia diet, while the rumination times, feeding efficiency, and rumination efficiency did not differ (p > 0.05). The cactus Cereus and Opuntia and Nopalea have similar nutritional value in sheep’s diet. ABSTRACT cacti 17.27kg 1727kg kg 17 27kg replicates 4309 430 9 430. kg1 kg- hildmannianus, hildmannianus , hildmannianus) 5257 525 7 525. cv stricta 4921 492 492. cochenillifera Mimosa caesalpiniaefolia 194.7 1947 194 (194. 2338 233 8 233. kg1, kg-1) feed extract fiber carbohydrates nonfiber non day1 day day- p 0.05 005 0 05 diet 0.05. . sheeps s 43 52 49 194. 19 (194 23 0.0 00 4 5 (19 2 0. (1 (

Abstract This work aimed to investigate the physicochemical and functional composition of bee pollen produced in different municipalities in the state of Rio Grande do Norte/Brazil (RN) and commercial samples produced in other places. To perform these experiments, samples of dehydrated bee pollen were crushed and subjected to physicochemical evaluation, instrumental color, fatty acid profile, evaluation of the presence of bioactive compounds [Total Phenolic Compounds (TPC), carotenoids] and antioxidant activity (reduction of DPPH radical). The pH of the pollen samples varied from 4.55 to 5.08, the protein from 19.01% to 29.71%, and the ash from 2.44% to 4.27%. All pollen samples showed a yellowish-red hue (a* and b* positive), and the pollen produced in Touros/RN/BR stood out with a lighter color (L* = 32.91). The pollen produced in Touros/RN/BR showed a higher (p < 0.05) percentage of saturated fatty acids (41.60%), whereas the pollen collected in Taipu/RN/BR had a higher percentage of monounsaturated fatty acids (7.44%). Pollen samples showed a low concentration of Total Carotenoid Content (TCC) (0.81 to 22.82 µg/g), as well as a high content of TPC (1.79 to 2.28 mg GAE/g) and antioxidant activity (1.40 to 5.70 µmol TE/g) when compared with the consulted literature. According to the obtained results, we could infer that pollen samples from different locations showed variations in physicochemical composition, coloration, fatty acid profile, TPC and antioxidant activity which reflects the geographic diversity inherent to the production sites. NorteBrazil Norte Brazil RN (RN places experiments profile TPC, , (TPC) carotenoids reduction radical. radical . radical) 455 4 55 4.5 508 5 08 5.08 1901 19 01 19.01 2971 29 71 29.71% 244 2 44 2.44 427 27 4.27% yellowishred yellowish red a* (a b positive, positive positive) TourosRNBR Touros BR L* L (L 32.91. 3291 32.91 32 91 32.91) p 0.05 005 0 05 41.60%, 4160 41.60% 41 60 (41.60%) TaipuRNBR Taipu 7.44%. 744 7.44% 7 (7.44%) TCC (TCC 0.81 081 81 (0.8 2282 22 82 22.8 µg/g, µgg µg/g µg g µg/g) 1.79 179 1 79 (1.7 228 28 2.2 GAE/g GAEg GAE 1.40 140 40 (1.4 570 70 5.7 TE/g TEg TE literature results coloration sites (TPC 45 4. 50 5.0 190 19.0 297 29.71 24 2.4 42 4.27 329 32.9 3 9 0.0 00 416 41.60 6 (41.60% 74 7.44 (7.44% 0.8 8 (0. 22. 1.7 17 (1. 2. 1.4 14 57 5. 19. 29.7 4.2 32. 0. 41.6 (41.60 7.4 (7.44 (0 1. (1 29. 41. (41.6 7. (7.4 ( (41. (7. (41 (7 (4