CHEMICAL ANALYSIS AND in situ DEGRADATION OF DIETS PREPARED WITH AND WITHOUT FRUIT OF Parmentiera aculeata (Kunth) L.O. Williams IN SHEEP

During the drought period in cattle pastures, the fruits of chote (Parmentiera aculeata (Kunth) L.O.) Williams are available, which are satisfactorily consumed by grazing ruminants. However, the nutritional value and ruminal availability of the dry matter of this fruit, to which nutritional properties are attributed, are unknown. The objective was to evaluate the degradation of chote fruit for inclusion in sheep diets using in situ degradation and to identify some physiological variables in the rumen. Six rumen fistulated lambs with a live weight of 30 ± 2 kg were adapted for 11 days to the following experimental diets: T 0: 0 % chote fruit; T 15: 15 % chote fruit, and T 30: 30 % chote fruit. In situ degradation of chote fruit was determined and experimental diets were analyzed with a 3 × 3 crossover design. The results show that after 3 and 6 h, chote fruit at T 30 presented greater degradation (p ≤ 0.05). After 24, 48, and 72 h, pH and ammonia nitrogen (N-NH3) showed no statistical differences (p > 0.05). The yields of acetic, propionic, and butyric acids were not different (p > 0.05) at T 15 (acetic acid = 77.81 mM L-1; propionic = 14.39 mM L-1; butyric = 0. 67 mM L-1) and T 30 (acetic acid = 77.21 mM L-1; propionic = 18.52 mM L-1; butyric = 8.97 mM L-1), but both were greater than T 0 (acetic = 62.03 mM L-1, propionic = 18.52 mM L-1, butyric = 9.27 mM L-1). In conclusion, the addition of 30 % chote to sheep diets increases degradation without affecting ruminal variables.