Nutritive value of herbaceous vegetation of caatinga enriched and grazed by sheep and goats

Abstract

The objective of this word was to evaluate the chemical composition, digestibility and intake of herbaceous vegetation in a thinned and enriched with buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris L.) Caatinga grazed by sheeps and goats. 12 goats F1 (Boer x SRD) and 12 Santa Inês sheeps with live weight of 15,00kg were used. The vegetation data were analyzed using a completely randomized design with repeated observations over time, and the animals intake of was also a completely randomized design with two treatments and twelve repetitions. Grazing did not affect the chemical composition and in vitro digestibility of herbaceous vegetation. On the evaluation on june 1st the three floristic components had the lowest percentage of dry matter and the higherest percentages of crude protein and in vitro digestibility of dry matter, while the opposite occurred in august 1st, differing even from that observed in september 1st and october 1st. The goats intake was 437.47 of dry matter, compared to 331.78g of dry matter intake by sheep. Although the available dry matter from thinned and enriched caatinga with buffel grass presented low levels of crude protein and in vitro digestibility of dry matter, the goats were able to select a diet that allowed intake of more than 2% of body weight.