Efeito da inclusão de Lithothamnium calcareum sobre o balanço de nitrogênio, cálcio e fósforo, na dieta de caprinos em fase de terminação.

Abstract

Minerals derived from organic sources, such as seaweed meal (Lithothamnium calcareum), present greater solubility, and consequently greater bioavailability and absorption of its components, and the use of these, in appropriate concentrations in the diet of ruminants, may lead to an increase in digestibility of fiber, while maintaining a positive effect on animal performance. The research was carried out at Campina Grande Federal University (UFCG), in the Center of Health and Rural Technology (CSTR), Campus the Patos-PB, where 16 caprines were used, all male, castrated and with initial weight of 15 kg, previously identified, weighed and medicated against endo and ectoparasites, animals housed in metabolic cages, with feeders and individual drinkers, distributed in a randomized block design with four replications. The animals received diets formulated based on the NRC (2007) for weight gain of 200 g day-1, with treatments based on different concentrations of Lithothamnium calcareum of the experimental diets, which consisted of T1: = 0,0%, T2 = 0.7%; T3 = 1.4% and T4 = 2.1%. The inclusion of the increasing concentrations of L. calcareum did not affect nitrogen metabolism, thus confirming that there was no limitation in the consumption of the animals. Also, no decrease in dry matter intake was observed, confirming even more that the inclusion of L. calcareum did not change the consumption of the animals. As for phosphorus, there were no significant changes, so that phosphorus metabolism could have been altered if the inclusion of L. calcareum and consequently calcium had triggered an excess of calcium in animal metabolism. There was a significant increase in calcium intake, and consequently in calcium retention and absorption, proving that L. calcareum is an unconventional, organic and renewable source that presents good bioavailability and solubility for the animal organism. The inclusion of L. calcareum in finishing goat diets did not affect the balance of nitrogen and phosphorus, and promoted greater absorption in 83.11% and greater retention in 87.71% of calcium in the animal organism.