Replacing sorghum with palm kernel cake in the diet decreased intake without altering crossbred cattle performance

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Replacing sorghum with palm kernel cake in the diet decreased intake without altering crossbred cattle performance Mateus de Melo Lisboa 1 & Robério Rodrigues Silva 1 & Fabiano Ferreira da Silva 1 & Gleidson Giordano Pinto de Carvalho 2 & João Wilian Dias da Silva 1 & Tarcísio Ribeiro Paixão 1 & Ana Paula Gomes da Silva 1 & Venício Macedo de Carvalho 1 & Laize Vieira Santos 1 & Marceliana da Conceição Santos 1 & Dorgival Morais de Lima Júnior 3 Received: 3 July 2020 / Accepted: 25 October 2020 # Springer Nature B.V. 2020

Abstract Palm kernel cake is a viable alternative for use in cattle feed to reduce production costs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of concentrations in diet dry matter (DM) of palm kernel cake on intake and digestibility of nutrients and performance of cattle finished in a feedlot system. Forty non-castrated crossbred cattle, with an average age of 24 ± 2 months and an average weight of 331.12 ± 36.20 kg, were distributed among four treatments (control 0%, without heart of palm kernel cake in the diet; 8%, 16%, and 24% of palm kernel cake in diet DM). Variance and regression analysis were performed in function of the palm kernel cake concentrations in diet DM (P < 0.05). The dry matter intake decreased linearly (P < 0.05) as the concentrations in diet DM of palm kernel cake in the diet increased. The inclusion of palm kernel cake in the animals’ diet decreased (P < 0.05) on dry matter digestibility. No effects (P > 0.05) of palm kernel cake on average daily gain or feed conversion were observed. The palm kernel cake can be included in the diet of crossbred bulls finished in confinement at concentrations in diet DM of up to 24%, as it has not influenced performance. Keywords Biodiesel by-products . Elaeis guineensis . Performance . Lipid sources . Oilseed press cakes

Introduction Brazil has become one of the highlights in the production of beef, being considered the largest producer and exporter in the world, but it still has a lower productivity and quality of the meat, mainly for animals finished in pastures (Lobato et al. 2014). However, the intensive beef production system, in which animals are finished in semi-confinement or confinement, has a higher production cost. This higher cost is due to the need for high quantities of grains (e.g., sorghum) and of quality that can meet the animal energy demand (Oliveira and Couto 2018). The use of oilseed cakes, such as palm kernel cake, has become more frequent in feedlots. These foods have * Dorgival Morais de Lima Júnior [email protected] 1

State University of Southwest Bahia, Itapetinga, Bahia 45700-000, Brazil

2

Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia 40170-110, Brazil

3

Federal University of Alagoas, Arapiraca, Alagoas 57308-700, Brazil

nutritional characteristics that allow their inclusion in the diet, meeting the nutritional requirements of the animals and decreasing food costs (Oliveira et al. 2012). Palm kernel cake (Elaeis guineensis) stands out due to its high availability dur