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

Aylpy R D Santos,Henrique N Parente,Jarlyanne N C Souza,Jocelio S Araújo,Graziele S Oliveira,Arnaud A Alves,Anny G V O Lima,Anderson M Zanine,Daniele J Ferreira,Michelle O M Parente,Karlyene S Rocha

doi:10.3390/agriculture10070288

Aylpy R D Santos, Henrique N Parente + Show 9 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture10070288

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Abstract

Twenty-eight Boer × Saanen castrated male goats (21.6 ± 3.0 kg of initial body weigh) were distributed in a randomized complete block design to evaluate the effects of increasing levels (0, 100, 200 or 300 g/kg, in dry matter basis) of dietary babassu mesocarp flour (BMF) on performance, nutrient digestibility, carcass characteristics, and meat physical and chemical composition. When significant treatment effects were found, data were submitted to orthogonal polynomials for treatment responses. BMF did not change the intake and digestibility of dry matter and crude protein. However, it increased linearly the total carbohydrates intake (p = 0.013), neutral detergent fiber intake (p < 0.001) and digestibility (p = 0.027), while it decreased linearly the intake of non-fibrous carbohydrates (p < 0.001) and ether extract (p < 0.001), without changing their digestibility (p > 0.05). The dressing percentage (p = 0.003) and rib eye area (p = 0.024) had a quadratic effect with increasing levels of BMF. The total gastrointestinal weight (TGI) had an increased linear effect (p = 0.001), while the proportion of rumen (p = 0.010), omasum (p < 0.001) and abomasum (p = 0.001) increased linearly with BMF addition. The same effects were presented in leg weight (p = 0.045) and muscle weight (p = 0.049). Weight and yields of commercial cuts and meat physicochemical composition did not change (p > 0.05) with inclusion levels of BMF. The addition of babassu mesocarp flour up to 200 g/kg in the diet of male goat can improve the dressing percentage without major changes in meat physical and chemical traits, representing an attractive alternative feed.

Highlights

The modernization of agribusiness has made Brazil the largest producer of food located in the tropical region
Growth performance was not affected by increasing levels of babassu mesocarp flour (BMF), as evidenced by the lack of effect on dry matter intake (DMI) and metabolizable energy intake (MEI)
The linear increase of neutral detergent fiber intake (NDFI) is a consequence of higher neutral detergent fiber (NDF) levels in diets with BMF

Summary

Introduction

The modernization of agribusiness has made Brazil the largest producer of food located in the tropical region. Brazil has been the world’s first largest global corn producer [1], the use of both corn and soybeans has grown substantially over the last 15 years, supported mostly by feed use, especially in intensive production systems. The feedlot system is an efficient strategy to reduce the age at slaughter and to increase average daily gain, resulting in an increment of meat production. There is a greater demand for grains, which are used in human nutrition, in formulation of diets. Studies with co-product addition to replace conventional grains in ruminant diets have increased [2,3,4].

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