Effects of dietary inclusion of dry umbu fruit pulp residue (Spondias tuberosa Arr. Cam) on intake, ingestive behaviour, digestibility, nitrogen balance and ruminal pH in sheep

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of dietary inclusion of dry umbu pulp fruit residue (DUFR) into lamb diet. DUFR replaced ground corn at 0, 8, 16, 24 and 32% of the total diet. To evaluate intake, digestion, nitrogen (N) balance and ingestive behaviour, twenty-five uncastrated male lambs (40.8 +/- 4.17 kg) were randomly distributed among treatments for 21 days. To evaluate ruminal pH, ammonia N in the rumen fluid and total protozoa abundance, five uncastrated Santa Ines male sheep (40.3 +/- 3.70 kg) were used in a 5x5 Latin square design, for 75 days. The intake of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP) and total digestible nutrients (TDN), CP and ether extract (EE) digestibilities, ruminal ammonia N, N-intake and N-balance were not linearly affected by the inclusion of DUFR. However, a linear increase in neutral detergent fibre (NDFap) intake, time spent eating and ruminating, the number of boluses chewed/day, and ruminal pH in sheep with the increase of DUFR inclusion were observed. The intake of EE and non-fibrous carbohydrates (NFC), digestibility of DM, NDF and TDN, time spent idling, amount (g) of DM/ bolus chewed, and protozoa count decreased linearly with dietary inclusion of DUFR. The inclusion of up to 32% DUFR instead of ground corn stimulates eating and rumination time, however, it is not recommended as a concentrate feed because it reduces nutrient digestibility and nitrogen balance impairing animal performance.