Uso do óleo de Copaíba (Copaifera sp.) na alimentação de ovinos

Abstract

Two experiments were carried out to evaluate the effect of copaiba oil as feed additive on performance, nutrient digestibility and nitrogen balance of lambs in feedlot. The treatments were: no additives (control), 8 mg / kg of sodium monensin DM, 250, 500 and 750 mg of copaiba oil / kg of dry matter, in a diet containing 70% concentrate and 30% forage (coastcross hay). In performance experiment, 40 ewe lambs (Dorper x Santa Inês) were used, with a mean age of 8 ± 1.0 months and mean body weight of 37 ± 6.0 kg, distributed among the treatments using randomized blocks with 8 (eight ) repetitions per treatment. In digestibility trial, five castrated lambs (Dorper x Santa Inês), with average initial weight of 37 kg and approximately 8 months of age, cannulated in the rumen were used. The design used in the experiment was 5 x 5 Latin square. All data was analyzed by ANAVA using the MIXED procedure from SAS (1999). The effects of dosage of copaiba oil was assessed by linear and quadratic orthogonal polynomials. Effects were declared when P < 0.05. The additives did not affect the performance of lambs. Dry matter and nutrient intake was not influenced by the inclusion of additives (monensin or copaiba oil) in the experimental diets compared to the control diet. Regarding nutrient digestibility, there was also no difference in the DM and OM digestibility according to experimental diets. The additives also did not affect the molar concentration of SCFA, ruminal pH and N-ammonia. Feed additives, at the dosages used in this trial, were not effective in affecting performance, digestibility and ruminal fermentation in lambs.