Fontes de ácidos graxos de cadeia longa insaturados em dietas para búfalos

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of inclusion of sources of unsaturated fatty acids in diets for buffaloes on the consumption and apparent digestibility of nutrients, ruminal fermentation, ingestive behavior of the animals. Four buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) Murrah, approximately 24 months old, castrated, cannulated in the rumen and with initial mean weight of 407 ± 60 kg were used. The animals were randomly distributed in a 4 × 4 Latin square design, in a 2 × 2 factorial scheme and in the following experimental diets: 1) CO = Control; 2) SO = Soybean Oil; 3) WSG = Raw and integral soybean grain; 4) CSFA = Calcium Salts of Fatty Acids. The diets were formulated using a voluminous ratio: concentrate of 70:30, being used as volumetric hay of Capim-Transvala (Digitaria Decumbens cv. Transvala). However, the addition of the unsaturated fatty acid sources increased the consumption of ethereal extract (P <0.01) and the apparent digestibility of the ethereal extract (P = 0,04). There was a difference (P> 0.031) for ruminal pH values between SG and CSFA diets. The inclusion of the sources of unsaturated fatty acids promoted a decrease in the molar concentrations of all variables analyzed in the rumen. The observed results suggest that the amounts of fatty acids included were not sufficient to have significant effects on buffalo metabolism.