Abstract

VELAZQUEZ, A.J. et al. Production, digestibility and cost/benefit of lamb's diets including Acacia farnesiana pods. Arch. zootec. [online]. 2011, vol.60, n.231, pp.479-488. ISSN 1885-4494.  https://dx.doi.org/10.4321/S0004-05922011000300037.

Aiming to evaluate the use ofAcacia farnesiana pods in sheep feeding, an experiment was carried out with growing lambs receiving isoproteinic diets (T) with different inclusion levels of pods: T₁= 0, T₂= 100, T₃= 200, T₄= 300 and T5= 400 g/kg (dry basis) prepared with maize fodder, soybean meal, wheat bran and minerals mix; productive performance, digestibility and cost-benefit analysis were assessed. Fifty lambs of the Chiapas breed were utilized, kept in closed confinement under a controlled feeding regime, using a completely at random design with five treatments and five repetitions. The crude protein content (CP) of pods was 115.2 g/kg (DM) and tannins were 7.8 g/kg. Voluntary intake was higher (p<0.05) in T4 as compared with the control group; feed conversion and average daily gain were similar (p>0.05) among treatments. Wool production showed no per unit area (mg/cm²/day) was higher (p<0.05) with the inclusion of 200 g/kg of pods in the diet. Dry matter and fiber digestibility showed no differences (p<0.05) among treatments, while the cost-benefit ratio was better for T4. It is concluded that the inclusion up to 400 g/kg ofAcacia farnesiana pods in the diet of growing lambs did not have an effect on their productive response or the digestibility, whereas 200 g/kg improved voluntary intake and wool growth, and thus its use may be recommended to lower food costs.

Keywords : Legume-trees; Consumption; Weight gain; Wool; Tannins.

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