PARÂMETROS DE FERMENTAÇÃO RUMINAL DE BOVINOS, SUPLEMENTADOS A PASTO COM LÍQUIDO DA CASTANHA DE CAJU E QUITOSANA

Chitosan and cashew liquid are considered natural additives and may modulate rumen fermentation with similar effects to the ionophore antibiotics already
used. Five (5) rumen cannulated crossbred steers, kept in individual paddocks of
Marandu grass, were randomly distributed in a 5 x 5 Latin square design and
supplemented at a ratio of 0, 4% of body weight. The experimental supplements
used were Protein-Energy Supplement (SPE) with 36% PB; SPE + QUIT (900 mg
Kg-1 MS); SPE + LCCt (600 mg kg -1 MS); SPE + association between QUIT / LCCt
(900 + 600 mg kg -1 of MS) and mineral supplementation. Samples for determination of pH, ammoniacal nitrogen concentration (N-NH3) of ruminal fluid (NAR) were collected manually and before and 2, 4, 6 and 8 hours after supplementation in the ruminal environment. The inclusion of the additives in the diet of the animals as a function of the collection time had no effect (P> 0.005) on ruminal pH. However, treatment with LCCt presented higher N-NH3 peaks during the collection times. The inclusion of LCCt provided higher concentrations of N-NH3.