Abstract
The byproducts of agricultural processes have great potential as a source of low cost animal feed. In this paper we assess the potential of acai palm (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) seed as a food source for sheep. Sixteen non-castrated male sheep with average initial body weight of 22 kg were randomly assigned to one of four diet treatments, using initial body weight as a covariate. The diets consisted of coastcross hay and a variable proportion of acai seed meal (0, 5, 10 and 15% - DM basis) added to feed concentrate at a ratio 60:40 (roughage:concentrate). The animals were slaughtered at the end of the experiment to measure carcass and commercial cuts dressing of each animal. No treatment effect on carcass, commercial cuts and non-carcass components dressing was detected, but significant effect on daily weight gain and shoulder dressing was observed. Acai seed meal added to the diet up to 15% in replacement with forage during dry seasons does not seem to compromise carcass and non-carcass components and is therefore a potentially valuable and low cost component of sheep feed. Key words: By-product, organs, performance, sheep, viscera.
Highlights
The nutritional management of the animal can affect meat quality and weight, carcass yield and retail cuts, which are extremely important for measuring the animal process of meat production (Lage et al, 2014)
Açaí seed meal added to the diet up to 15% in replacement with forage during dry seasons does not seem to compromise carcass and non-carcass components and is a potentially valuable and low cost component of sheep feed
This result indicates that by-products when properly fed in appropriate proportions may become an important source of nutrients in animal feeding, providing satisfactory performance, and usually with low cost
Summary
The nutritional management of the animal can affect meat quality and weight, carcass yield and retail cuts, which are extremely important for measuring the animal process of meat production (Lage et al, 2014). There is no published information about the potential use of the byproducts of the açaí processing industry related with carcass quantitative traits, which are extremely important in the meat production system, because they are directly related to the final product. Non-carcass components represent up to 40% of body weight of the lambs and are affected by factors such as feeding level. The aim of this survey is to assess the efficacy of açaí seeds in the diet of sheep, to evaluate carcass and non-carcass characteristics components in sheep fed diets containing mixtures of açaí seeds and coastcross hay
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