Reductions in the water supply to crossbred Santa Inês ewes in the Brazilian semi-arid: apparent nutrient digestibility, water and nitrogen balance, and performance.

• Autor(a) principal: LIMA, P. R. de
• Data de Publicação: 2023
• Outros Autores: ARAÚJO, C. de A., CAMPOS, F. S., MENEZES, V. G., RIBEIRO, N. L., ARAUJO, G. G. L. de, MENEZES, D. R., MATOS, M. H. T. de, QUEIROZ, M. A. A., SANTOS, E. M.
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional da EMBRAPA (Repository Open Access to Scientific Information from EMBRAPA - Alice)
• Texto Completo: http://www.alice.cnptia.embrapa.br/alice/handle/doc/1154939; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2023.107021
• topic: Ingestão de água; Eficiência da água; Fração de nitrogênio; Restrição de água; Semiárido; Raça Santa Inês; Água para ovelhas; Ovelha; Digestibilidade; Produção Animal; Ewes; Animal production

This study aimed to evaluate the intake and nutrient digestibility, water, and nitrogen balance of Santa In?es crossbred ewes under confinement receiving reductions in the water supply. Thirty-two Santa In?es crossbred ewes, at an average body weight of 32.2 ± 7.4 kg and age of 2.3 ± 0.99 years, were distributed in a completely randomized design, with four treatments, and eight animals per treatment, the treatments were 100%, 80%, 60%, and 40% of ad libitum water. Nutrient intake and digestibility, water and nitrogen balance, and perfor- mance were evaluated. The reductions in the water supply did not promote significant alterations, in the nutrient intake, or apparent digestibility of the animals (P > 0.05). A linear decreasing effect was observed for free water intake (P < 0.001), total water intake (P < 0.001), total urine output (P = 0.008), water excreted via urine (P = 0.006), water excreted via feces (P = 0.006), total water losses (P < 0.001), water absorbed (P < 0.001), and nitrogen excreted via feces (P = 0.002). The water and nitrogen balance and performance were not influenced by water offers (P > 0.05). It was concluded that water offers of up to 40% of ad libitum intake, do not promote negative effects on intake and apparent nutrient digestibility, mineral intake, nitrogen balance, and water balance in Santa In?es ewes.