Influence of a microbial additive on the voluntary intake of dry matter, neutral detergent fiber and indicators of the ruminal fermentation of goats fed Brachiaria brizantha hay

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Delf?n Guti?rrez
Arabel El?as
R. Garc?a
F. Herrera
Humberto Jord?n
Luc?a Sarduy

Abstract

In order to assess the voluntary intake of dry matter (DM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and indicators of the ruminal fermentation in goats fed Brachiaria brizantha hay of low nutritive quality and with the inclusion of a microbial additive in the diet called VITAFERT (a biologically active product, reach in yeasts, lactobacilla and their metabolites), four goats of the Saanen breed, with three years of age and 43 kg (17.0?0.82 kg LWPV 0.75) of average live weight were used. A 4 x 4 Latin square design was applied for 60 d of observation. The goats were cannulated in the rumen and distributed into four treatments: T1) basic diet, with B. brizantha hay + goat commercial supplement, at a rate of 6 g kg LW-1; T2, T3, T4) B. brizantha hay + goat commercial supplement and three levels of VITAFERT (4.5; 6.0 and 8.5 mL kg LW-1). These levels were added to the supplement according to the treatments at the offering time (9:00 h), different of the
hay that was offered twice (8:30 and 16:30 h), at a rate of 1.2 kg animal-1 in dry basis (DB). The addition of the microbial additive in the ration, in the levels of 4.5 and 6.0 mL kg LW-1, increased (P < 0.01) the voluntary intake of DM and NDF. However, in the indicators of the ruminal fermentation studied: short chain fatty acids (CSFAt) and bacterial biomass (BB), the level 6.0 mL kg LW-1 of VITAFERT differed from the rest (P < 0.001). It is concluded that the stimulating effect of VITAFERT in the increase of DM and NDF intake depends on the dosage. The level 6.0 mL kg LW-1, together with a energy-protein supplement at a rate of 6 g kg LW-1, optimizes the system in respect to the increase of the fermentative capacity of the rumen, corresponding with the increase of the of the SCFAt and BB concentrations in goats fed Brachiaria brizantha hay of low nutritive value.
Key words: Saanen, VITAFERT, yeasts and lactobacilli

Article Details

How to Cite
Guti?rrez, D., El?as, A., Garc?a, R., Herrera, F., Jord?n, H., & Sarduy, L. (2012). Influence of a microbial additive on the voluntary intake of dry matter, neutral detergent fiber and indicators of the ruminal fermentation of goats fed Brachiaria brizantha hay. Cuban Journal of Agricultural Science, 46(2). Retrieved from https://cjascience.com/index.php/CJAS/article/view/72
Section
Animal Science
Author Biographies

Delf?n Guti?rrez

Instituto de Ciencia Animal, Apartado postal 24, San Jos? de las Lajas, Mayabeque, Cuba

Arabel El?as

Instituto de Ciencia Animal, Apartado postal 24, San Jos? de las Lajas, Mayabeque, Cuba

R. Garc?a

Instituto de Ciencia Animal, Apartado postal 24, San Jos? de las Lajas, Mayabeque, Cuba

F. Herrera

Instituto de Ciencia Animal, Apartado postal 24, San Jos? de las Lajas, Mayabeque, Cuba

Humberto Jord?n

Instituto de Ciencia Animal, Apartado postal 24, San Jos? de las Lajas, Mayabeque, Cuba

Luc?a Sarduy

Instituto de Ciencia Animal, Apartado postal 24, San Jos? de las Lajas, Mayabeque, Cuba

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