Intake, Digestibility And Rumen Parameters In Sheep Fed With Common Bean Residue And Cactus Pear

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of inclusion of cactus pear and common bean residue in sheep rations on intake, apparent nutrient digestibility and rumen parameters. Eight castrated male sheep Santa Ines at an average body weight 55 +/- 5 kg, fistulated in the rumen were distributed in two 4 x 4 latin squares with four treatments and eight animals per treatment and four periods. The treatments consisted of four experimental diets: a control diet based on soybean meal and ground corn, diet with soybean meal substitution for bean residue; diet with substitution of corn ground by cactus pear and diet with soybean meal replacement and ground corn for bean residue and cactus pear. The dry matter intake did not differ among treatments. The diets based on cactus pear provided a higher mineral matter intake, crude protein digestibility and lower ether extract intake and reduced water intake (P < 0.05). pH and NH3-N showed quadratic responses due to time after morning feeding (P < 0.05), in which pH had lower values between four and six hours after a meal, while NH3-N showed maximum values two hours after feeding, justified by the higher fermentation occurred during this period and the fast utilization of nitrogen sources. The use of bean residue and cactus pear in rations for sheep does not alter the intake and digestibility of dry matter and nutrients, and it does not affect ruminal metabolism parameters of animals under the experimental conditions used. The inclusion of cactus pear in the feed reduces the intake of drinking water by the animals.