Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the performance of feedlot lambs fed diets formulated with hay of different genotypes of Cynodon spp. and to compare the dry matter digestibility of diets using different evaluation methods (total fecal collection and chromium oxide). Suffolk crossbred neutered male lambs (n=30), with an average age of 90 days and average body weight of 21.5 kg ± 1.6. Diets were formulated using a standard concentrate and hay of the following genotypes of Cynodon dactylon: Jiggs, Vaquero, Tifton 68, Coast-Cross, Tifton 85 and Russell, in a 60:40 forage concentrate ratio, composing the treatments distributed in a randomized block design in a factorial 5 x 2 arrangement of 5 diets and 2 digestibility evaluation methods. Animals receiving Vaquero hay showed dry matter intake of 18.3; 16.9; 25.6; 20.7 and 24.2% higher than those fed hay of Jiggs, Tifton 68, Coast Cross, Tifton 85 and Russell, respectively. There was no difference between diets for digestibility using total fecal collection, chromium oxide and final weight of animals. Jiggs hay based diets allowed greater daily weight gain and better feed conversion.
Highlights
In 2013, the Brazilian sheep flock exceeded the number of 17.3 million head; the Central-West region of the country had the greatest growth, in the same year, the state of Mato Grosso do Sul had the largest effective flock of this region (ANUALPEC, 2015)
This study aimed to evaluate the performance of feedlot lambs fed diets formulated with hay of different genotypes of Cynodon spp. and to compare the dry matter digestibility of diets using different evaluation methods
This study evaluated the performance of feedlot lambs fed diets formulated with hay of different genotypes of Cynodon spp. and to compare the dry matter digestibility of diets using different evaluation methods
Summary
In 2013, the Brazilian sheep flock exceeded the number of 17.3 million head; the Central-West region of the country had the greatest growth, in the same year, the state of Mato Grosso do Sul had the largest effective flock of this region (over 500 thousand heads) (ANUALPEC, 2015). Among the main factors of low production of sheep meat, there is a reduction in the nutritional value of forage, represented by tropical grasses, during the dry season, resulting in low indices of milk and meat yield in Brazil (Moreira, & Prado, 2010; Moreira, Prado, Cecato, Wada, & Mizubuti, 2004). This situation requires the storage of high nutritional value forage to feed the animals at this. Studies have sought forage species showing high dry matter production, with high leaf/stem ratio and high nutritional value (Miranda, Pereira, Rodriguez, Neto, & Arruda, 2008; Oliveira et al, 2014)
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