Quitosana como aditivo em dieta de grão inteiro em bovinos

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the addition of chitosan as a modulator of ruminal fermentation in diets with whole grain corn. Five (5) rumen cannulated crossbred steers with average weight of 350 kg were kept in individual stalls and distributed in a 5x5 Latin square. The diet was provided in the proportion of 85% of corn grain without use of bulky. The doses of chitosan used were 0; 375; 750 and 1500 mg / kg DM; a treatment with virginimycin was used. The use of chitosan did not change the animals' dry matter intake. There was no difference for nitrogen and microbial protein synthesis, however, the inclusion of chitosan presented better values when compared to virginiamycin. There was no effect of chitosan on the ruminal pH of the animals, where the mean between treatments of 6.3 as well, there was no effect for the concentrations of N-NH3. The animals receiving the dose of 750 mg / kg DM of chitosan presented greater excretion of maize in the faeces with 390.00 g / kg. The inclusion of chitosan presented lower trough frequencies when compared to virginiamycin, with a lower value for the dose of 750 mg / kg DM. The inclusion of chitosan provided an increase in the digestibility coefficients of dry matter, crude protein and NDF. Chitosan can be added on a non-voluminous grain corn diet for confined animals at a dosage of 375 mg / kg DM.