Desempenho e comportamento metabólico de cordeiros da raça Santa Inês alimentados com diferentes concentrações de Spirulina platensis diluída em leite de vaca.

Abstract

The experiment was carried out in Maria Paz Ranch Sheep Production Department, in São José de Espinharas-PB. Bromatological analyses were performed in the Laboratory of Animal Nutrition/Centro de Saúde e Tecnologia Rural/Universidade Federal de Campina Grande. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the supplementation with cow milk enriched with Spirulina platensis (Sp) on Santa Inês lamb performance submitted to a “creep feeding” regimen. Data on dry matter (DMC) and crude protein (CPC) consumptions, live body weight (BW), and mean daily body weight gain (MDBWG) were colleted to determine the correct period to supplement lambs with Spirulina platensis. The three levels (0, 5 and 10 g) of Spirulina supplementation were assigned to 30 lambs (plots) according to a randomized block design. Data were collected in four consecutive periods (0-15, 15-30, 30-45 and 45-60 days), characterizing a split plot in time experimental design. Consumption was not affected by spirulina level x period interaction, and increased with periods. BW and MDBWG were affected by the spirulina level x period interaction. Spirulina levels affected MDBWG only from day 0 to day 15, when the highest MDBWH (300 g) was associated to 10 g of Spirulina, while no Spirulina supplementation resulted in 205 g in MDBWG. Live body weight at the end of each period was also higher when the lambs were supplemented with 10 g of Spirulina (12,0 17.02, 19.71 and 25.30 kg, respectively for the 4 consecutive periods). Even the animals that got no Spirulina supplementation surpassed the expected AFRC (1995) values for MDBWG. The dilution of Spirulina platensis in cow milk showed to be efficient on the daily performance of lambs when utilized in concentration of 10g/day from 15 to 30 days of age.