title: Mango tree pruning hay in substitution of elephant grass in cattle diet.
abstract: This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of different levels of substitution (0, 33.3, 66.7, and 100 %) of elephant grass by hay of mango tree pruning (HMTP) on intake and digestibility in cattle and on the in vitro gas production. Moreover, the effect of tannin in HMTP on the gas production and in vitro degradability of the dry matter was evaluated, using polyethylene glycol (PEG). The intake and digestibility were evaluated in a double 4 × 4 square Latin design, using eight Holstein intact bulls. To evaluate the gas production and degradability, in vitro semi-automated gas production technique was used. The substitution of elephant grass by HMTP decreased the intake (P<0.05) and the digestibility (P<0.05) of the nutrients and also the gas production (P<0.05). Furthermore, the utilization of PEG as a tannin-complexing agent increased the gas production and degradability of the HMTP (P<0.05). It was concluded that the high cell wall lignification and the presence of tannin limit the use of HMTP as the only source of roughage in cattle diets.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco, P.O. Box 252, Petrolina, Pernambuco, 56306-410, Brazil. rafael.nutricao@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Rafael Torres
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: de Souza Rodrigues
authors.forename: Mario Luiz
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Chizzotti
authors.forename: Daniel Ribeiro
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Menezes
authors.forename: Fernando Santos
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Carlos Wagner
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: de Souza Wanderley
authors.forename: Alvaro Santos Lisboa
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Neto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000378:metabolism*; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004063:Digestion; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D031022:Mangifera; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000494:pharmacology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013634:Tannins / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D004043:Dietary Fiber; D013634:Tannins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols