Reconstituição de grãos de milho sobre o consumo, digestibilidade aparente dos nutrientes e parâmetros ruminais de ovinos

CORN GRAIN RECONSTITUTION ON INTAKE AND DIGESTIBILITY OF NUTRIENTS AND RUMINAL PARAMETERS OF SHEEP Eduardo Guimarães Brandão, Clayton Quirino Mendes School of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine – University of Brasilia, DF. The objective of this trial was to evaluate the effects of moisture replenishment with alkaline solution (NaOH) and salt (NaCl) associated with the coarse grinding of corn kernels on intake, apparent nutrient digestibility and ruminal characteristics of sheep. Twelve male sheep crossbred, castrated and rumen canuleted were used. Animals were distributed in a completely randomized design, housed in metabolic cages and test for four treatments: control ground corn without reconstruction; NaOH – milled corn and reconstituted with alkaline solution at 0,5%; 50 NaOH: NaCl 50 – milled corn and reconstituted with 50% bleach solution + 50% brine; NaCl milled corn and reconstituted with saline solution at 10%. The experimental diets were composed by 40% of Tifton-85 hay and 60% of concentrated. Were evaluated intake and apparent digestibility of nutrients, ruminal pH, ammonia nitrogen and blood plasma glucose concentration. Also the starch granules from the scanning electron microscopy. Treatment with NaCl showed higher (P<0,05) for ether extract and starch intake, but no differences in their digestibility. There was no treatments effect on ruminal pH and plasma glucose concentration. A higher concentration of ammonia nitrogen was verified in the treatments containing NaCl. Microscopically the structures of starch granules were not affected by the types of reconstruction, only there was irregularity and spacing among beads compared to the control treatment. Reconstitution of corn grain with of the solutions used in this study did not show qualitative advantages.