Inclusion of babassu bran produced in milk production in Amazonia

One important species for extraction and subsistence of traditional populations in Brazil is the babassu palm (Attalea speciosa Mart ex Spreng). As a by-product of the babassu oil socio-productive chain in Amazonia region, the residual bran needs to be better used and could represent an additional source of income for coconut breakers, and a local alternative in the composition of diets for dairy cows. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of a diet containing babassu bran on the intake and digestibility of cows, their production and milk composition, in the Amazon region. The experimental trial was arranged in a Cross over design, composed of fourteen animals, two treatments and two periods of 28 days (21 days for adaptation to diets and 7 days for data collection). Treatments were concentrate without babassu bran (CNV) and with babassu bran (BBS). Milk composition did not differ significantly between treatments. The inclusion of 35.6% BBS in feed ration supported an average daily milk production of 18.2 kg/day, while CNV produced 19.8 kg/day. There was lower feed consumption for BBC, but equal to that of CNV when comparing liters of milk produced per kg of ingested concentrate (1:3.09 CNV × 1:3.07 BBS), which demonstrates that treatments did not differ in productive efficiency. Our results bring the possibility of a better use of babassu bran. This alternative could improve the quality of life of rural populations, while being linked to the conservation of native ecosystems and the sustainable use of socio-biodiversity products.