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This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different non-fibrous carbohydrate (NFC):neutral detergent fiber (NDF) ratios (0.70:1, 0.90:1, 1.14:1, 1.42:1, and 1.85:1) in diets containing cactus cladodes on intake, digestibility, ruminal parameters, ingestive behavior, and microbial protein of growing heifers. Five rumen-cannulated heifers (194 ± 70 kg of body weight) were distributed in a Latin square design (5 x 5). There was a quadratic effect on the intake of dry matter (DM) (Kg day-1 and %BW) and crude protein (CP) with the increase in non-fibrous carbohydrate (NFC): neutral detergent fiber (NDF) ratio, with maximum values of 7.07 kg day-1, 2.86%, and 0.949 kg day-1, estimated for 1.37:1, 1.39:1, and 1.27:1 ratios. When the intake of NDF decreased, in turn, the intakes of NFC and TDN increased. The NDF digestibility decreased with increasing NFC levels in diets. The other nutrients were not influenced. The ruminal pH showed the lowest values at 4 hours after feeding, mainly for animals fed the 1.85:1 ratio. There was a quadratic effect for rumination time with maximum values estimated for an NFC:NDF ratio of 0.88:1. The time spent idle increased linearly, while total chewing time and feeding efficiency of NDF decreased. The urinary volume increased linearly. However, microbial protein synthesis and the efficiency of the synthesis were not influenced. The number of protozoa increased by 64.5% with the elevation of the NFC:NDF ratio. We recommend a NFC:NDF ratio of 1.37:1 in diets containing cactus cladodes, to improve the use of nutrients, without negatively affecting ruminal parameters.

Objetivou-se com este estudo avaliar o consumo, desempenho, características de carcaça e a qualidade da carne de caprinos criados em pastejo na Caatinga e suplementados com dois tipos de fenos: jitirana (Merremia aegyptia) ou mororó (Bauhinia cheilanta), com ou sem a associação a palma forrageira (Nopalea cochelinifera Salm Dick), e um tratamento sem suplementação (controle). Foram utilizados 30 caprinos machos castrados, sem padrão racial definido, com peso corporal inicial de 19 ± 0,35 kg e aproximadamente 90 dias de idade. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o inteiramente casualizado, usando o peso corporal inicial como covariável, em arranjo fatorial (2x2) + 1, com cinco tratamentos e seis repetições. Os maiores consumos de suplemento, consumo total de matéria seca (MS), carboidratos não fibrosos (CNF) e dos nutrientes digestíveis totais (NDT) ocorreram para os animais alimentados com feno de jitirana ou mororó associados à palma forrageira, e maior consumo de proteína bruta (PB) ocorreu pelos caprinos suplementados com o feno de mororó com palma forrageira. Maiores consumos de fibra em detergente neutro (FDN) foram observados nos animais suplementados com feno de jitirana. Não houve influência das dietas sobre o consumo de MS do pasto, desempenho, pesos dos corte e as características de carcaça. Quanto a qualidade da carne, houve influencia dos tratamentos apenas sobre o parâmetro b* (Intensidade de amarelo). A suplementação alimentar com os fenos de jitirana e mororó, e palma forrageira não proporcionou melhorias no desempenho e nas características de carcaça, bem como não influenciou negativamente a qualidade da carne de caprinos criados em pastejo em região de Caatinga.

The objective of this study was to evaluate non-carcass components of goats submitted to grazing in the Caatinga rangeland and supplemented with spineless cactus (Nopalea cochelinifera Salm Dick), Jitirana hay (Merremia aegyptia L. Urban) and Mororó hay (Bauhinia cheilanta Bong Stend). Thirty male goats (castrated), with no defined breed, with an initial mean body weight of 19 ± 0.35 kg and approximately 90 days of age were used. The treatments consisted of grazing without supplementation (GWS), grazing + Jitirana hay (GJ); grazing + Jitirana hay + spineless cactus (GJSC); grazing + Mororó hay (GM); grazing + Mororó hay + spineless cactus (GMSC). The means of the variables were tested by Tukey's test at 5% probability. The goats fed GWS, GJSC, GM and GMSC presented higher weights and yields of the diaphragm, and the spleen weight (p < 0.05). The highest yield of omasum (p < 0.05) occurred with goats fed GJ treatment. There were treatments (p < 0.05) on omental fat weight and leg yield, with the highest values for goats, fed GWS, GJSC, GM, and GMSC. The "Buchada" EBW-1 yield was higher (p < 0.05) for animals fed GWS. Feeding supplementation of goats grazing in the Caatinga had few influences on weights and yields of non-carcass components.