Níveis de óleo de soja em dietas para cordeiros confinados.

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of soybean oil, a source of linoleic acid, in diets for confined lambs, on the productive and metabolic performance of the animals. Forty Santa Inês lambs, uncastrated, with a mean age of 5 months and initial body weight of 34.88 kg ± 3.19 kg were used. The animals were distributed in five experimental diets with inclusion levels (0, 30, 60, 90 and 120g/kg) of soybean oil (SO) in the dry matter (DM) of the total diet. The inclusion of SO in the diet promoted a linear reduction in DM intake (P <0.001), crude protein (CP; P <0.001), non-fibrous carbohydrates (NFC; P <0.001) and total digestible nutrients (TDN; P = 0.004) . There was a quadratic effect on the consumption of ether extract (EE; P = 0.002) and neutral detergent fiber (P = 0.005). The apparent digestibility of CP (P = 0.016), EE (P = 0.005) and TDN (P < 0.001) increased and NFCa (P = 0.005) linearly reduced. Mean daily gain decreased (P<0.001) as a function of dietary SO levels. The addition of SO to the diets increased the feeding time (P=0.004), reduced the efficiency of DM rumination (P=0.001) and reduced the concentration of blood urea-N (P<0.001). Considering the production parameters, it is recommended the inclusion of 30 g/kg of SO in the DM of the total diet in diets for finishing lambs in feedlot.