Manicoba hay in diets for sheep: intake, apparent digestibility and nitrogen balance

The objective was to determine the voluntary intake and digestibility of DM, OM,and nutrients (CP, GE, NDF, ADF, CT, NSC and EE). And nitrogen balance of diets containing manicoba manicoba (Manihot glaziovii Muell. Arg.) hay Twenty-four Santa Ines lambs, average 28.62 kg LW were allotted to a completely randomized design and fed diets containing 20, 40, 60 e 80% of manicoba hay. The mean intakes of DM, OM, CP and CT were 1.24, 1.12: 0.20; and 0.827 kg/d, respectively, and the mean intakes of ME, NDF, ADF, EE and NSC were, respectively, 2.78 mcal/kg, 401.01, 215.50, 83.42, 426.62, and 126.10 g/d. The apparent digestibility for DM, CP, and CE were respectively, 60.22, 61.28. 56.16, 61.90, and for NDF, ADF CT and NSC were, respectively, 44.73, 54.63, 61.50, and 78.41. The nitrogen balance was positive, with mean of 7.20 g N/kg DM/d, and the apparently retained nitrogen represented 21.45% of ingested N. The inclusion of 80% of manicoba hay in the diet did not affect the DM intake, however, the nutrient apparent digestibility in the diet decreased as manicoba hay increased in the diet.