Uso de caroço de algodão na terminação de cordeiros em confinamento

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the intake, performance and ingestive behavior in order to perform an economic analysis of the feeding of lambs finished in feedlot with the use of different proportion of cottonseed on the diet, as well as its influence under the carcass characteristics and the non- carcass components of the animals. Forty five lambs, non castrated males, from Ile de France race, weaned with approximately 60 days old and kept in individual stall were used. The treatments were constituted by levels of inclusion of cottonseed on dry matter (DM) of the total diet (0%; 10%; 20%; 30% or 40%), being the diet composed by corn silage (Zea mays L.), ground corn grain (Zea mays L.), soybean meal (Glycine max L.), cottonseed (Gossypium hirsutum L.), limestone and mineral salt in a roughage: concentrate proportion of 40:60. The animals were slaughtered with a pre- established slaughter weight that corresponded to 60% of live weight to the maturity of their mothers. The dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, total carbohydrates, non fibrous carbohydrates and total digestible nutrients intake presented a quadratic behavior (P≤0.05). The ether extract, neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber presented a crescent linear behavior (P≤0.05) as the cottonseed was included on the diet. The daily average weight gain presented a crescent quadratic behavior similar to what occurred to the dry matter intake. Regarding the ingestive behavior, the increase on the inclusion of cottonseed on the diet resulted in an increase in the time spent on feeding and rumination and consequently a decrease in the time spent in idle. From the economic point of view it is viable the inclusion of cottonseed until the level of 40% of total dry matter on the diet of feedlot lambs. The high quantity of fibers and the excess of lipids on the higher levels of inclusion of cottonseed on the diet influenced negatively some carcass characteristics, as the hot and cold carcass yield, subcutaneous fat thickness and rib eye area. The gastrointestinal tract with content and the gastrointestinal content presented a crescent linear behavior as the cottonseed was included on the diet of the animals.