Intake, digestibility, and milk yield response in dairy buffaloes fed Panicum maximum cv. Mombasa supplemented with seeds of tropical açai palm.

Abstract

The use of alternative tropical feeds, such as açai seeds, under tropical pasture production systems, may help to optimize buffalo milk production mainly in the Amazon region, which has the largest worldwide açai production. This study evaluated the effects of dietary inclusion of açai palm seeds in the supplement on nutrient utilization and milk yield response of lactating buffaloes grazing Panicum maximum cv. Mombasa. The treatments comprised four levels of açai palm seeds (0, 198.4, 396.8, and 595.2 g/kg of dry matter) and a treatment without concentrate supplementation (WCS). Five half-breed Murrah female buffaloes with average body weight ± (SEM) of 577 ± (20.4) kg were used in a 5 × 5 Latin square design. There was no effect of the inclusion of açai palm seeds on the total dry matter and nutrient intakes (P>0.05). The digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, neutral detergent fiber, and total digestible nutrients showed a linear decreasing pattern (P<0.05), whereas the digestibility of crude protein demonstrated a quadratic pattern, as açai palm seed inclusion level increased (P<0.05). Milk production demonstrated a quadratic pattern as açai palm seed inclusion increased (P<0.05). There was no effect of açai palm seed inclusion on milk composition (P>0.05), except for fat (%), protein (%), and the concentration of total dry extract (P<0.05). There was no difference in nutrient intake and digestibility and milk performance, between supplemented and WCS animals (P>0.05). In conclusion, the inclusion of açai palm seeds at 198.4 g/kg DM in the supplement of grazing buffaloes improves the digestibility of crude protein and milk production, without detrimental effects on nutrient intake. Also, açai palm seeds may be a potential replacer of Panicum maximum cv. Mombasa under tropical conditions.