Feno da folha de bananeira na alimentação de cordeiros confinados

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the performance and carcass characteristics of sheep in feedlot, fed different levels of substitution of vaquero bermudagrass hay by banana leaf. We used 25 males, intact sheep, crossbred with an average body weight of 24.50 ± 1.46 kg. The animals were distributed into a completely randomized design with six replications of five treatments, kept in feedlot for three periods of 21 days. Replacement levels were 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% hay for banana leaf. Diets showed a forage:concentrate ratio of 50:50, isoprotein. To determine the nutrient intake and feed conversion, quantities of supplied food and leftovers were weighed and recorded daily,gathered samples once a week. The biometric measurements were performed to correlate with ADG and hot carcass yield. The animals were slaughtered, bled and removed the non-carcass. The carcasses were weighed and longitudinally divided in the midline, in two half-carcassesby means of a chainsaw. The left half-carcass was weighed to determine the hot carcass yield and the right half carcass was weighed and divided into six commercial cuts: neck, ribs, saw, shoulder, loin and leg for determination of absolute weight and their yield. The left half carcass and the cuts were placed in plastic bags in the freezer, for 24 hours at a temperature of 5 °C. The non-carcass components were also weighed and the viscera were emptied to obtain the empty body weight. The estimated intakes of DM and CP (g/day) showed maximum values in the levels of 35.28 and 22.24% of replacement of vaquero hay by banana leaf hay. The DM intake (% of BW), estimated at 0.24% of BW in treatment with 0% leaf reached its maximum level of 13.88% of replacement of vaquero Bermuda grass hay by banana leaf hay. The replacement of vaquero Bermuda grass hay has effecton intake of DM and CP in g/day, and on DM in% of body weight, without affecting the final body weight and average daily gain. Sheep farming in feedlot, using banana leaf to replace vaquero Bermuda grass hay, is economically viable at levels of 75% substitution. The replacement of vaquero Bermuda grass hay by banana leaf hay does not affect carcass characteristics, nor non-carcass components neither morphometry.