Ingestive behavior of lambs fed with guava agro-industrial waste (Psidium guajava)

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of increasing levels of guava agroindustrial waste (GAW) on the ingestive behavior of Santa Inês lambs. Forty noncastrated sheep of the Santa Inês breed were used, at an initial weight of 21.33 ± 2.62 kg, and at the age of 120 days, distributed in a completely randomized design, with five treatments and fed with increasing GAW levels (0.0, 7.5, 15.0, 22.5 and 30.0%). The average daily gain (ADG) showed orthogonal contrast (P <0.05), in which the animals that ingested the control diet had lower performances. The animals with GAW added to the diet obtained more significant weight gains reflected by a better feed conversion. Among the variables, idleness, feeding, and total chewing time had a significant effect (P<0.05); animals spent more time idle at the 30.0% inclusion level and less time in the control group. However, the means of the 7.5, 15.0, and 22.5% GAW inclusion levels were statistically similar to the control group and the 30.0% level. There was a significant effect (P<0.05) on feed efficiency, with the lowest values being presented for the control group and the highest values at the 30% inclusion level of GAW. The 30.0% GAW feed for lambs in confinement reduces feed time, and total chewing prolongs idleness and increases feed efficiency without compromising dry matter intake, neutral detergent fiber intake, and ADG.