Effects of dietary energy density on nutrient digestibility, performance and carcass characteristics of Morada Nova lambs
Roberto Goes Ferreira Costa, MarcusSales Pereira, ElzâniaGuimarães Pimentel, PatríciaMarcos de Azevêdo Silva, AderbalVeiga Rodrigues Paulino, PedroYurika Mizubuti, IvoneLuis de Azambuja Ribeiro, EdsonPereira Pinto, Andréade Araújo Camilo, Danilo
Effects of metabolizable energy (ME) levels were evaluated on nutrient digestibility and carcass characteristics in Morada Nova lambs. Forty Morada Nova lambs with initial weight of 12.2 ± 2.05 kg, were used. Five treatments were defined according to metabolizable energy (0.96; 1.28; 1.72; 2.18 and 2.62 Mcal/kg DM) levels. It was used a randomized block design. Animals were slaughtered when body weight mean (BW) of the group reached 25 kg. Linear effect was observed for digestibility coefficient of DM, OM, EE, CP, NDF, TC, FC and NFC. Daily weight gain (DWG) presented linear increase (P 0.0001) with ME levels. The highest DWG observed was 135.98 g/day for the level of 2.62 Mcal/ kg DM. Carcass characteristics (hot carcass weight, cold carcass weight, loss by cooling in kilogram and biological yield) did not vary in function of ME levels with average values of 11.52; 11.03; 0.48 and 57.25, respectively. It was concluded that the incresead level of dietary energy influences nutrient digestibility and daily weight gain of Morada Nova lambs during the growing period, without changing carcass traits.
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