<b>Additives vs concentrate levels in rations for buffaloes and cattle: dry matter <em>in vitro</em> digestibility</b> - DOI: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v29i4.1008

Abstract

This study evaluated the dry matter in vitro digestibility (DMIVD) of rations with 5 concentrate levels (0, 5, 10, 20 and 50%), and the absence or presence of additives (control, ionophore (Rumensin^®) or probiotic (Beef-sacc)), consisting of a 5 x 3 factorial. It also evaluated the DMIVD of rations with 50:50% roughage:concentrate with or without addition of ionophore, probiotic, growth-promoting antibiotic (BMD^®) and the combination of them, consisting of 8 treatments and 4 repetitions, using a randomized design. For all evaluated rations, ruminal liquid from a bovine and a buffalo was used. For both species, there was an interaction (p < 0.01) for increasing levels of concentrate and additives. For buffaloes, the ration with ionophore showed maximum DMIVD value (64.8%) for 41.9% of concentrate; control and probiotic rations presented similar values between them. For bovines, a superiority of probiotic over ionophore was observed in rations with up to 50% of concentrate. However, in isolated and combined effects among additives in rations with 50:50% roughage:concentrate on DMIVD, the results showed that the combinations are similar or inferior to the isolated effects of additives in both species.