Performance of feedlot sheep receiving diets with Cupuassu Cake (Theobroma grandiflorum Schum., Sterculiaceae)

• Autor(a) principal: Guimarães, Célia Maria Costa
• Data de Publicação: 2023
• Outros Autores: Morais, Eziquiel de, Rodrigues, Laurena Silva, Sousa, Luciano Fernandes, Andrade, Stefano Juliano Tavares de, Lourenço Júnior, José de Brito, Silva, André Guimarães Maciel e
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Semina. Ciências Agrárias (Online)
• Texto Completo: https://ojs.uel.br/revistas/uel/index.php/semagrarias/article/view/47691
• topic: Co-product; Cupuassu; Meat quality; Sheep; Ruminant nutrition.; Coproduto; Cupuaçu; Qualidade da carne; Ovinos; Nutrição de ruminantes.

This study evaluated the inclusion of cupuassu cake (Theobroma grandiflorum Schum.) in the diet of feedlot sheep. Intake (kg day-1, % LW and kg LW-0, 75), weight gain, feed conversion, carcass characteristics and measurements, ingestive behavior, and meat quality were assessed. Twenty-five mixed breed castrated sheep, with initial mean live weight (LW) of 17.4 (± 1.90) kg, were fed under feedlot management conditions until they reached 35 kg LW. The diet consisted of 26 % elephant grass silage (Pennisetum purpureum, Schum) and 74 % concentrate, composed of ground corn, soybean meal, wheat bran, limestone and cupuassu cake at 0 (control), 7.4; 14.8; 22.2 and 29.6 % of total dry matter. The experimental design was completely randomized, with five treatments and five repetitions. No statistical differences (P>0.05) were observed for the substitution of standard feedstuff by cupuassu cake in the variables evaluated, indicating that cupuassu cake can be used for feedlot sheep at up to 30 % of total dry matter, without affecting performance, intake, carcass characteristics or meat quality.