Ingestive behaviour, physiological parameters and carcase traits of lambs fed diets containing greasy babassu by-product

ABSTRACT

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of increasing levels of greasy babassu by-product (GBB) effects on ingestive behaviour, physiological parameters and carcase traits. Twenty-eight lambs (20.6 ± 4.1 kg of initial BW) were distributed in a completely randomised design being confined for 60 days. The treatments were GBB inclusion levels (0, 50, 100 and 150 g kg^-1, in DM basis) in diets with 20% roughage and 80% concentrate (DM basis). Physiological parameters and ingestive behaviour did not change with the inclusion of GBB in the diets (P > 0.05); however, the time of ruminating tended to decrease as well as the time of ruminating chews per bolus, and number of ruminating chews per bolus (P < 0.10). Additionally, inclusion of GBB did not change the carcase traits and commercial meat cuts (P > 0.05). Thus, the addition of GBB up to 150 g kg^-1 in the diet for finishing lambs represents an attractive alternative feed for corn and soybean meal, which does not modify the physiological parameters, ingestive behaviour and carcase traits.

KEYWORDS:

• Attalea speciosa
• energy
• feedlot
• meat
• rumination

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article, but they are available from the corresponding author (Cavalcanti, H. S.) upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Fundação de Suporte à Pesquisa Científica e Desenvolvimento Tecnológico do Maranhão – FAPEMA under Grant [Number 02845/17] and by Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior/Brasil – CAPES [Finance Code 001].