Indicadores de produção fecal em búfalos

Abstract

Indicators are indigestible substances, usually of easy determination, used as chemical and physical monitors, in digestive and metabolic processes. The objective of this research was to evaluate fecal production indicators in buffaloes. Eighteen male buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) Murrah were used, with a mean live weight of 150 kg. The buffaloes were fed ad libitum individually in total Tie Stall confinement. The measurement of fecal excretion was performed by total collection of feces and estimated by external indicators purified and enriched lignin (LIPE®), Chromium oxide (Cr2O3) and Titanium oxide (TiO2), and internal indicators such as: Indigestible Dry Matter (MSi), Indigestible Neutral Detergent Fiber (FDNi) and Indigestible Acid Detergent Fiber (FDAi). Estimates of fecal excretion and digestibility of dry matter (MS), organic matter (OM), neutral detergent fiber (FDN) and ethereal extract (EE) estimated by Cr2O3 and LIPE® were not different from the same estimates evaluated by the collection total stool with P>0.52. On the other hand, fecal excretion estimated by TiO2 was overestimated in relation to total fecal collection (5.34 versus 2.98 kg / day of faecal MS, respectively). The fecal excretion estimated using the external indicator TiO2, internal MSi, FDNi and FDAi, had a positive correlation coefficient (r= 0.78 and P<0.01), (r= 0.72 and P<0.01), (r= 0.76 and P<0.01) and (r= 0.73 and P<0.01), respectively, in relation to the fecal excretion observed through total fecal collection. The digestibility of DM and OM, calculated through fecal excretion estimated by LIPE®, Cr2O3, TiO2, MSi, FDNi, and FDAi indicators did not present significant correlations with digestibilities calculated through total fecal collection. The feacal excretion estimated by the FDNi had a high correlation with the actual fecal excretion calculated by the total collection of feces presenting a significant coefficient of determination (r2 = 0.58). In this way, the indicators used were efficient in determining the fecal production in confined buffaloes.