CONSUMO DE MATÉRIA SECA E DOS NUTRIENTES DE NOVILHAS LEITEIRAS RECEBENDO NÍVEIS DE FARELO DE MAMONA NA DEITA

Use of castor bean meal as animal feed should be done after detoxification being used as protein concentrate instead of cottonseed meal and soybean meal, for example, which are usually the most expensive ingredients of diets. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the consume of dry matter and nutrients in dairy heifers fed with levels of castor meal in the diet. Twenty 5/8 blood Holstein x Zebu heifers were used. The heifers were distributed into four treatments, with 4 inclusion levels of castor bean meal on the diet: 0%; 3%, 6% and 9%. The grass was Brachiaria brizantha cv Marandu. The experiment consisted of three experimental periods, animals were weighed and the concentrate consumption was adjusted, since this was supplied in 0.7% of body weight. Increased levels of castor bean meal did not influence dry matter and nutrient intake, presenting the same effect. The inclusion of up to 9% of castor bean meal in total diet of dairy heifers at grazing do not affect consume.