Intake and apparent digestibility with different inclusion levels of coconut meal for sheep feeding/Consumo e digestibilidade aparente de dietas com diferentes niveis de inclusao de torta de coco para alimentacao de ovinos

The study was conducted at the Universidade Federal da Amazonia to evaluate apparent digestibility and intake for sheep fed diets containing different inclusion levels of fresh coconut meal (25, 50 and 75%). A total of 12 male Santa Ines sheep were used, with a mean age of 5 months and average weight of 19.5 kg, kept in individual metabolic cages distributed in a completely randomized design. Dry matter intake decreased with the inclusion of coconut meal, with values of 699, 405 and 373 g, and 3.67, 2.15 and 2.00% body weight at levels of 25, 50 and 75%, respectively. The same behavior was observed for protein intake; however, no significant differences in intake were observed for values of NDF, ADF and ether extract. Apparent digestibility was reduced (p < 0.05) in the coefficients for treatment with 75% inclusion of coconut meal for dry matter, protein, NDF and ADF, compared to the 25% and 50% treatments. It was concluded that the inclusion of coconut meal in the diet negatively affects the intake and digestibility of fibrous constituents, resulting from high levels of lipids present in the coconut meal. Keywords: ether extract, NDF, ADF, dry matter, protein. O trabalho foi realizado na Universidade Federal Rural da Amazonia com o objetivo de avaliar o consumo e digestibilidade aparente de ovinos alimentados com dietas contendo diferentes niveis de inclusao de torta de coco (25, 50 e 75%). Foram utilizados 12 ovinos, machos, da raca Santa Ines, com idade media de cinco meses e com peso medio de 19,5 kg, mantidos em gaiolas metabolicas individuais distribuidos em um delineamento inteiramente casualizado. Observou-se que o consumo de materia seca decresceu com a inclusao de torta de coco, apresentando valores de 699; 405 e 373 g e 3,67; 2,15 e 2,00% do peso vivo para os niveis de 25, 50 e 75%, respectivamente. O mesmo comportamento foi observado para o consumo de proteina, entretanto nao foram observadas diferencas (p > 0,05) nos valores de consumo de FDN, FDA e extrato etereo. Quanto a digestibilidade, verificou-se reducao (p < 0,05) nos coeficientes para o tratamento com 75% de inclusao de torta de coco para materia seca, proteina, FDN e FDA em relacao aos tratamentos 25 e 50%. Concluiu-se que a inclusao de torta de coco, afeta negativamente o consumo e a digestibilidade da fracao fibrosa, resultado do elevado teor de extrato etereo presente na torta de coco. Palavras-chave: extrato etereo, FDA, FDN, materia seca, proteina.