Abstract
The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of corn milling and the inclusion of babassu mesocarp bran (BMB) on productive performance, digestibility of dietary nutrients, and blood parameters of dairy crossbred (Holstein-Gyr) bulls finished in confinement. Twenty-four bulls were fed four different experimental diets, containing two levels of inclusion of BMB (0 and 41.24%) and corn supplied in two different forms (ground and whole), for 98 days (77 days of data collection and 21 days of adaptation). The intakes and digestibility coefficients of the dry matter (DM) and nutrients were determined. There were no significant interaction effects of the BMB inclusion level and the form of corn used on the performance and digestibility variables. The intakes of DM, crude protein (CP), and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) increased with the inclusion of BMB in the diets. However, the inclusion of BMB in the diets decreased the ether extract intake, the NDF apparent digestibility, and the feed efficiency of DM and CP. Dry matter and NDF intakes also increased with the use of ground corn in the diet, which promoted an increase in the intake of total digestible nutrients (TDN), digestibility of non-fibrous carbohydrates, and average daily gain. However, the supply of ground corn reduced the feed efficiency of TDN. The remaining measured variables did not vary with the tested diets. The levels of plasma protein and albumin remained normal, but glucose concentrations were always high, irrespective of the tested diet. The form of corn supplied and the level of BMB inclusion had a significant interaction effect on the levels of triglycerides, urea, aspartate aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase. Babassu mesocarp bran can be included up to 41.24% in the diet of confined bulls without a negative effect on the animal weight gain. Corn should be supplied ground because this form improves the performance of crossbred bulls
Highlights
Corn is the main food used in animal production and the main source of starch used in animal nutrition
The inclusion of Babassu mesocarp bran (BMB) and the processing of the corn grain had significant effects on the measured variables, there were no significant interactions between the two factors (P>0.05) (Table 3)
The form of corn used had a significant effect on dry matter intake (DMI), when expressed both in kg/day (P = 0.063) and % live weight percentage (LW) (P = 0.051)
Summary
Corn is the main food used in animal production and the main source of starch used in animal nutrition. The use of corn is becoming increasingly more expensive for producers due to its increasing market price as a result of the worldwide growth of biofuel production (Wallington et al, 2012). Favourable results have been obtained for the use of BMB as a substitute for corn in cattle feeding (Miotto et al, 2013). The native babassu coconut is formed of the epicarp (11%), which is the fibrous outer layer of the fruit; the mesocarp (23%), an intermediate portion with high starch and fibre concentrations that can be used for the production of ethanol and animal feed; the endocarp (59%), which has a high lignin concentration and is used for the production of charcoal; and the almonds (7%), from which the oil is extracted (Nascimento, 2004). The high fibre content may make BMB a good option when high-concentrate diets are used because by-products with high fibre concentrations do not induce production of lactate, thereby decreasing the occurrence of problems such as acidosis (Katsuki, 2009)
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