Full text
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| Author(s): |
Cibele Longo
Total Authors: 1
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| Document type: | Master's Dissertation |
| Press: | Piracicaba. |
| Institution: | Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura (CENA/STB) |
| Defense date: | 2002-05-08 |
| Examining board members: |
Adibe Luiz Abdalla;
Ciniro Costa;
Ivanete Susin
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| Advisor: | Adibe Luiz Abdalla |
| Abstract | |
This study intended to investigate the Leucaena leucocephala (leucaena) addition as a protein supplement in sheep diet upon the voluntary dry matter intake, nutrient digestibility and nitrogen (N) retention. The experiment was conducted in a change-over design using 6 diets and 12 male Santa Inês sheep in 3 periods of 21 days. The diets L20, L40 and L60 consisted of Cynodon x cynodon (tifton) hay and leucaena at 3 levels, (20, 40 and 60%) of the total dry matter (DM), respectively. The control diets, CL20, CL40 and CL60, consisted of tifton hay and concentrate, at the same rate of protein as L20, L40 and L60, respectively. Sources of variation were analyzed by Analyses of Variance and the least square means were compared by non-orthogonal contrasts and linear and quadratic regression according to GLM procedures from SAS (2000). Dry matter intake (DMI) ranged from 52,0 (L20) to 67,7 (L40) g kgBW- 0 , 7 5d- 1. There was no significant effect with addition of leucaena (P>0,05). Significant differences on DMI were observed among the three levels of leucaena (P<0,05). Animals fed L40 showed 30% increase of DMI (67,7 g kgBW-0,75) related to L20 (52,0 g kgBW-0,75). Results from digestibility trial showed lower apparent digestibility of DM (P<0,05) with values of 39,0; 37,4; 39,0; 51,1; 50,4; 52,8 % for diets L20, L40, L60, CL20, CL40 and CL60, respectively. Apparent digestibility of PB was also reduced with addition of leucaena (P<0,05) related to control diets, showing values of 33,7, 32,0 36,7 % for L20, L40, L60 and 52,2, 63,0, 66,7 % for CL20, CL40 and CL60, respectively. Apparent digestibility of fiber was affected with inclusion of leucaena (P<0,05). The coefficients of NDF digestibility were 39,2; 35,7; 34,9; 50,0; 45,9; 45,3 and ADF were 34,8; 26,9; 25,1; 47,0; 55,7; 54,1 for diets L20, L40, L60, CL20, CL40 and CL60, respectively. Either addition or level of leucaena did not affect N retention (P>0,05) and presented values of 1,4; 0,9; 3,3; 0,4; 3,8; 5,4 for L20, L40, L60, CL20, CL40 and CL60, respectively. Diets containing leucaena led to an increase of faecal N losses (6,2; 11,4; 12,4 g d-1, respectively; P<0,01) and reduction of urinary N losses (4,0; 4,4; 6,3, respectively; P<0,01). Faecal and urinary N increased linearly (P<0,01) with level of supplementation. These results show that the use of leucaena for Santa Inês sheep did not affect DMI and N retention comparing to control diets; however, it reduced nutrients digestibility, urinary N and increased faecal N. Among level of leucaena included, the level of 40% caused maximum DMI and faecal and urinary N losses presented a linear behaviour. (AU) | |