Diets based on sugar cane treated with calcium oxide for lambs

Area of Science:

• Animal Nutrition
• Ruminant Metabolism
• Forage Quality Improvement

Background:

• Sugar cane is a potential energy source for livestock, but its low protein and digestibility limit its use.
• Chemical treatments, such as calcium oxide (CaO), are explored to enhance the nutritional value of sugar cane.
• Understanding the impact of CaO treatment on nutrient intake and digestibility is crucial for optimizing lamb diets.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effect of dietary calcium oxide (CaO) levels on feed intake and nutrient apparent digestibility in lambs.
• To assess the influence of total fecal collection duration (two vs. four days) on digestibility estimates.
• To determine the optimal CaO treatment for sugar cane-based diets in lambs.

Main Methods:

• Eight Santa Inês lambs were fed diets containing 70% sugar cane treated with varying CaO levels (0-2.25%) and 30% concentrate.
• Diets were isonitrogenous (14% crude protein) and supplemented with urea.
• Apparent digestibility was measured using total fecal collection over two and four-day periods.

Main Results:

• CaO treatment linearly increased dry matter (DM) intake but decreased DM and NDF digestibility and TDN content.
• Intake of DM, OM, CP, NDF, NDFap, and NFCap increased with CaO treatment compared to untreated sugar cane.
• Two days of total fecal collection provided sufficient estimates for total apparent digestibility in lambs.

Conclusions:

• Chemical treatment of sugar cane with CaO increases feed intake in lambs but does not enhance nutrient digestibility.
• The use of two days for total fecal collection is adequate for estimating apparent digestibility in lambs.
• Further research is needed to balance the effects of CaO on intake and digestibility for optimal animal performance.