Abstract

LOPEZ, Y; ARECE, J; OJEDA, F  and  MOLINA, M. Effect of the inclusion of the Sorbifauna probiotic in the diet of confined weaned sheep. Pastos y Forrajes [online]. 2015, vol.38, n.2, pp.202-206. ISSN 0864-0394.

A study was conducted with 36 confined weaned Pelibuey sheep, in order to evaluate the effect exerted by the inclusion of the Sorbifauna probiotic on the live weight (LW) gain and the roughage intake. Four homogeneous groups of nine animals each were formed according to their LW, and were fed with a basis diet composed by Pennisetum purpureum clone CT-169, bean straw and concentrate feed; water and mineral salts were offered ad libitum. The treatments were constituted by three doses of probiotic: T1: 20 g/animal/day, T2: 30 g/animal/day and T3: 40 g/animal/day, and a control without probiotic (T4). The final LW did not show significant differences among the treatments (18,28; 18,43; 18,20 and 17,23 kg); however, the mean daily gain (MDG) did differ and was higher in the animals that consumed probiotic (130,0; 135,8 and 135,4 g/animal/day) with regards to the control (112,6 g/animal/day). The intake of CT-169 did not show variation among the treatments, with values that varied between 255,3 and 273,4 g green matter/kg LW^0,75 and 49,7-53,0 g DM/kg LW^0,75, respectively; while the bean straw intake was higher in the animals that received Sorbifauna with regards to the control group. It is concluded that the inclusion of the Sorbifauna probiotic increased the MDG and the bean straw intake in confined growing sheep, without affecting the intake of CT-169.

Keywords : Pennisetum purpureum; roughage intake; weight gain.

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