Nutritive value of "maniçoba" for sheep and goat

Abstract

Fourteen adult castrated, male, seven goats and seven sheep, were used to evaluate the nutritive value of “maniçoba” (Manihot pseudoglaziovii). All animals were kept in individual metabolism cages for a period of 21 days, 14 days for adaptation and seven days of total feces and urine collection. Forage was offered “ad libitum” and the animals had free access to water and to a mineral-salt mix. Contents of crude and digestible protein, neutral detergent fiber and digestible energy were 12% and 5.25%; 58.6% and 2.0 Mcal/kg of dry matter respectively. Dry matter intake and digestibility by goats and sheep were 99.3 and 97.6 g/kg^0.75 /day, and 190.1 and 209.7 kcal/kg^0.75 day, respectively. Dry matter digestibility was 51.4 and 47.8% by goats and sheep, respectively. There was no difference (P>0.5) between goats and sheep for any variables analysed. Results suggest that the protein of “maniçoba” was of low degradability.