Parâmetros digestivos e fisiológicos de novilhos de corte suplementados com pimenta encapsulada em regime de pastejo

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of supplementation with encapsulated pepper (CAP) on the consumption of calves managed on pasture and nutrient digestibility, ruminal fermentation, nitrogen balance, microbial protein synthesis, health parameters and rumen kinetics. Eight crossbreed Holstein Zebu cattle were used, weighing 313 ± 31 kg (Weight ± SD)(4 animals with 4" silicone rumen cannulas), with supplementation of 0.5% of live weight (BW) in four periods of 21 days in Pangola grass (Digitariadecumbens) pasture with the following treatments: CON: Control (0.5% of BW supplementation without addition of CAPCIN®, NutriQuest, Campinas, Brazil); CAP150: (0.5% of BW supplementation PC and 150 mg/animal/day of CAPCIN®); CAP300: (0.5 PC supplementation and 300 mg/animal/day of CAPCIN®); CAP450: (0.5% PC supplementation and 450 mg/day animal/day of CAPCIN®). Calves fed with encapsulated pepper showed a linear increase in NDF digestibility (P = 0.007) compared to the control treatment. There was no effect of encapsulated pepper on heart rate and rectal temperature values. There was a quadratic effect for dry matter digestibility (P = 0.042), organic matter (P = 0.027) and NDF (P = 0.002) and a quadratic effect trend for crude protein digestibility (P = 0.064). Calves fed encapsulated pepper showed a linear increase in rumen pH with the doses used (P = 0.011). There was a tendency for a linear increase in concentrations of mM propionate for animals fed with encapsulated pepper (P = 0.086) and a quadratic effect for concentrations of mM and mmol/100 mmol butyrate (P = 0.036).Encapsulated pepper tended to decrease nitrogen excretion in feces compared to the control treatment (P = 0.081). Calves fed with encapsulated pepper showed an increase in lymphocyte counts (103/μL)(P = 0.007), eosinophils (103/μL)(P = 0.002) and eosinophils (%) (P = 0.047) and showed a linear increasing trend in white blood cell count (P = 0.062) compared to calves fed control treatment. There was a quadratic effect (P =0.047) for rumen volume. Calves fed encapsulated pepper showed lower ruminal digestibility of NDF (P=0.023) and dTNDF (P=0.032) as well as a tendency (P=0.053) towards lower ruminal digestibility of OM. There was an increase in the passage rate (P=0.0114) for animals that received treatments with the inclusion of encapsulated pepper in relation to animals on the control diet, showing a linear increase (P=0.0206). There was also an increase in the turnover rate (P=0.0499) with a linear increasing trend (P=0.0893) for the animals that included levels of encapsulated pepper in the diet. The use of encapsulated pepper in supplements for Holstein/Zebu crossbred calves managed on Digitariadecumbens pasture up to 450 mg/animal/day improves nutrient digestibility and is capable of modulating ruminal fermentation. Furthermore, the results reinforce the evidence that the provision of encapsulated pepper can positively influence the health status of beef cattle managed in tropical conditions.