Effect of slow release urea in sheep feed on intake, nutrient digestibility, and ruminal parameters

• Published in: Semina. Ciências agrárias : revista cultural e científica da Universidade Estadual de Londrina Vol. 37; no. 4Supl1; pp. 2793 - 2806
• Main Authors: Geron, Luiz Juliano Valério, Aguiar, Sílvia Cristina de, Carvalho, Joilma Toniolo Honório de, Juffo, Gregory Duarte, Silva, Ana Paula da, Sousa Neto, Eurico Lucas de, Coelho, Kallynka Samara Martins, Garcia, Jocilaine, Diniz, Leomar Custódio, Paula, Edson Júnior Heitor de
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade Estadual de Londrina 01.01.2016
• Subjects: Fezes; Matéria seca; Nitrogênio não proteico; Proteína bruta
• ISSN: 1676-546X; 1679-0359
• DOI: 10.5433/1679-0359.2016v37n4Supl1p2793

This study aimed to evaluate the inclusion of 0.0%, 0.4%, 0.8%, and 1.2% slow release urea (SRU) in sheep feed on the intake and total digestibility coefficient (DC) of nutrients and ruminal parameters of sheep living in tropical regions. Four sheep with a body weight (BW) average of 30.8 ± 1.7 kg were assigned to a Latin square design. The animals were placed in metabolic cages and received two meals a day. Intake data and DC of nutrients of the sheep were subjected to analysis of variance and differences were tested using a regression equation to 5% probability. The inclusion of 0.0%, 0.4%, 0.8%, and 1.2% SRU in sheep feed did not change (p > 0.05) the intake of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), neutral or acid detergent fiber (NDF, ADF), total carbohydrates (TC), and non-fibrous carbohydrate (NFC) expressed in g animal-1 day-1, g (kg0.75)-1, and % BW. The mean values of 3.04%, 2.82%, 0.41%, 0.07%, 1.36%, 0.87%, 2.31%, and 1.00% of BW were obtained for the intake of DM, OM, CP, EE, ANF, ADF, TC, and NFC, respectively. The inclusion of 0.0%, 0.4%, 0.8%, and 1.2% of SRU in sheep rations had a quadratic manner (p < 0.05) the DC of DM and CP, with maximum values of 69.67% and 63.59%, respectively, for 0.51% and 0.66% levels of SRU inclusion in the experimental diets. The pH of the rumen fluid did not vary (p > 0.05) for different levels of inclusion of SRU in the feed. However, the pH of the rumen fluid did differ (p < 0.05) in relation to time (T) after feeding for all experimental diets. The inclusion levels of SRU in sheep feed did not affect (p > 0.05) the concentration of ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) of the rumen fluid, but there was a quadratic effect (p < 0.05) with relation to T for all experimental diets. Thus, we conclude that the inclusion of 0.66% SRU provides the best digestibility value of CP and is the appropriate value for the digestion of DM. The inclusion of up to 1.2% of SRU in sheep rations did not change the intake of nutrients and ruminal parameters.