Maniçoba hay or silage replaces Tifton 85 hay in spineless cactus diets for sheep

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the replacement of Tifton 85 hay (Cynodon spp.) by maniçoba hay or silage (Manihot glaziovii Muell. Arg) on sheep intake and performance. Twenty-four male Santa Ines animals were used, with initial body weight of 19.77 ± 1.95 kg and average age of 160 days. The animals were distributed in three treatments (Tifton 85 hay-TH, Maniçoba hay-MH and Maniçoba silage-MS), arranged in a randomized blocks design, with 8 replicates per treatment. The feedlot period lasted for 71 days. The means of the variables were tested by Tukey’s test at 5% probability. Sheep fed MH presented higher dry matter intake (p > 0.05) than those fed TH (1.17 kg day-1 vs 1.06 kg day-1). Neutral detergent fiber intake was higher (p > 0.05) for MH-fed sheep (0.394 kg day-1) when compared to MS (0.340 kg day-1). The digestibility of total carbohydrates was higher (p > 0.05) for MH diet (0.71 g kg-1) than TH (0.67 g kg-1). The average daily gain and body weight at slaughter did not differ (p > 0.05) among treatments. Maniçoba hay or silage can replace Tifton 85 hay in sheep diets.

Metabolic dynamics of native lambs fed with Tifton 85 hay or Maniçoba hay associated with the spineless cactus

“…The response from the use of maniçoba hay in relation to Tifton 85 hay as a source of roughage for the intake variable was expected and is probably related to the high nutritional value of the forage, with adequate CP content and high digestibility of non-fibrous carbohydrate (Maciel et al, 2019). According to França et al (2010), the maniçoba presents anatomical characteristics similar to those of C3 plants, so that its anatomy favors the intake and, consequently, the digestibility, due to the arrangement of the mesophyll with more intercellular spaces than in C4 plants, as well as more spaces between the vascular bundles, which may have conferred to the maniçoba hay greater ruminal degradation when compared to Tifton 85 hay.…”

Replacement of Tifton 85 Hay With Maniçoba Hay in the Spineless Cactus Diet of Sheep1 2

“…Maniçoba hay is richer in ADF (462.7 g kg -1 vs 386.2 g kg -1 ), NFC (124 g kg -1 vs 25 g kg -1 ) and EE (18.7 g kg -1 vs 11.3 g kg -1 ) than Tifton hay; therefore, the fractions of ADF, NFC and EE in the experimental diets increased with increasing levels of maniçoba hay. Maciel et al (2019) also observed a higher intake of NFC and EE in sheep fed with maniçoba hay than those fed Tifton hay 85.…”

Metabolic profile and renal function of lambs fed with maniçoba hay replacement by spineless cactus

“…), which result in visible improvements in production systems. Considering the adaptation of the plants of the genus Manihot to semi-arid zones and their nutritional attributes, these fodder resources are important strategies in the production of ruminants (LIMA JÚNIOR et al, 2014;MACIEL et al, 2019a). The maniçoba is a plant native to the Caatinga biome, toxic when in natura, but it can be used as food for ruminants when conserved in the form of hay or silage (FRANÇA et al, 2010;SILVA et al, 2015).…”