<b>Apparent digestibility of diets containing sugar cane silage treatedwith chemical or microbial additives fed to lambs</b> - DOI: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v29i1.260

Abstract

Ensiling of sugar cane maycontribute to improve operational efficiency at farm level. However, the high ethanol levelfound in sugar cane ensiled without additive may reduce voluntary feed intake and mayaffect animal performance. This experiment was performed to evaluate the effects of freshsugar cane and sugar cane silage treated with microbial (Lactobacillus buchneri) or chemical(urea) additives on apparent digestibility of diets fed to lambs. Twelve Santa Inês lambs (49 ± 3 kg) were assigned to a complete randomized block design and fed a 50:50 (concentrate:roughage ratio) TMR. Experimental treatments were the roughage source: fresh sugar cane(FSC), sugar cane silage with L. buchneri (SCS + Lb), sugar cane silage with 1% urea (SCS1%) or sugar cane silage with 1.5% urea (SCS1.5%). NDF digestibility coefficient waslower (p<0.05) for SCS compared to sugar cane silages (FSC vs SCS + Lb; FSC vs SCS1% and SCS1.5%). CP digestibility was higher (p<0.05) for animals fed SCS1.0% comparedwith those fed SCS1.5%. There were no differences (p>0.05) in nitrogen balance for all thecomparisons evaluated. The sugar cane ensiled improve NDF digestibility.