Urea levels in diets containing dried grape byproduct and forage cactus for Santa Ines sheep

The effect of urea levels on intake and apparent digestibility of nutrients in diets containing dried wine grape byproduct and fresh forage cactus was evaluated. Sixteen male, non-castrated, Santa Ines sheep, averaging 37kg and 11-month-old were used. The diets had 60% of dried grape byproduct (DGB) and 40% of forage cactus, and increasing levels of urea -0, 1, 2, and 3% in dry matter. Completely randomized designs with two periods with 15 adjust days and five days for samples collection was carried out. Dry matter (DM), neuter detergent fiber (NDF), non-fibrous carbohydrates (NFC), and total digestive nutrients (TDN) intakes presented quadratic behavior with maximum values of 2.04; 0.66; 0.74; and 1.50kg/day, respectively. For each increase of an unit percentage of urea an increase of 20 grams in the CP intake occurred. The digestibility coefficients of DM, CP, NDF, and NFC presented quadratic behavior with maximum values of 62.5, 85.0, 81.0, and 97.8%, respectively. The inclusion of urea up to 2% in the diets containing dried grape byproduct and fresh forage cactus made possible increases in nutrient intake and coefficient of digestibility of nutrients.