Comportamiento productivo, características de la canal y función ruminal en toros de engorde alimentados con dietas a base de cascarilla de cacao y aceite vegetal

Abstract

The productive performance, characteristics of the carcass in ruminal function were evaluated in steers fed with diets based on cocoa bean shell and vegetable oil. Records of 30 castrated steers weighing 206 ± 23 kg were randomly distributed into 3 groups (n=10) from the Ruminant Feedlot. The evaluated diets consisted of: T1 [Basal diet: covering the nutritional requirements for late-finishing steers according to the AFRC (1996) + 15% cocoa bean shell (Theobromina cacao) + 6% vegetable oil from passion fruit seed cake (Passiflora edulis) (Control)], T2 [Basal diet + 6% vegetable oil from passion fruit seed cake (Passiflora edulis)] and T3 [Basal diet + 15% cocoa bean shell (Theobromine cocoa)]. Ruminal degradation and in vitro digestibility of DM was evaluated with DaisyII incubator and F57 bags, pore size 25 µn, which contained 0.5 g of sample per treatment (n=5) and were incubated for 0, 4, 12, 24, 36, 48, 72 and 96 h. The volume of gas production in vitro was estimated in amber bottles with 100 ml of nominal capacity, and 0.5 g of sample was used per treatment (n=10). The data obtained were evaluated under a Completely Random Design (CRD). The in vitro rumen degradation kinetics of DM was higher for the soluble fraction (A) in T1 and lower in T3 (p=<0.0001). The rate of potential degradation (A+B) and effective degradation [(c: 0.02; 0.05 and 0.08)] were higher in T1. IVDMD at hour 48 was higher at T1, T3 and lower at T2 (p=0.0004). Total gas production (B) was higher at T2 (p=<0.0001). The productive performance showed higher ADG in T1 and T3 (p=0.0019). The TDMI and IDMI were higher at T1, T3 and lower at T2 (p=0.0142). FC (kg/kg) and FE (kg/kg) were lower and higher at T2 respectively (p=<0.05). Carcass characteristics reflected a higher HCY (%) for T3 (p=0.0032). LdMA (cm2 ) was higher at T1 and T3 (p=<0.0001). However, the RFT was less in T1 and T3 (p=0.0096). Under the conditions of this study, it is concluded that there is a favorable response of the cocoa bean shell alone or combined with vegetable oil from passion fruit seed cake