EVALUACIÓN DEL DESEMPEÑO PRODUCTIVO Y LAS REACCIONES METABÓLICAS DE OVINOS DE CEBA ALIMENTADOS CON Brachiaria spp, EN EL TRÓPICO BAJO DE COLOMBIA, AL DARLES SUPLEMENTOS ALIMENTICIOS.

Contextualization: animal production systems in Colombia have been characterized by the poor availability and quality of forage, in areas such as the foothills of the plains, due to the edaphological and climatic conditions of these zones. Knowledge gap: the basis of sheep feeding is grass, although multiple factors interfere in the use and quality of nutrients. This is why it is necessary to investigate these matters and determine which are the adequate supplements to fulfill the requirements of the animal, and therefore improve their productive performance. Purpose: to analyze the nutritional contribution of a supplement to the diet of grazing sheep fed with Brachiaria spp, evaluating the productive performance and blood biochemistry of them. Methodology: the design was completely randomized with the Tukey comparison test. A total of 12 sheep were used, crossbreeds between creole and Pelibuey, with an average weight of 20.05 ± 1.0 kg. The animals were fed using grass with Brachiaria spp. and a supplementation with 100 g of commercial balanced food. The treatments were: T1: 600 g of corn silage [EMA], T2: 200 g EMA and 100 g palm kernel, T3: 400 g EMA and 100 g of wheat bran, and T4: 400 g EMA + 200 g of Tithonia diversifolia silage. The chemical quality of the food supplied and the soil where the sheep grazed were analyzed. The variables evaluated were weight gain, feed intake, feed efficiency and conversion, protein efficiency ratio and blood biochemistry. Results and conclusions: in T2, the lowest [P < 0.05] daily weight gain and final weight was obtained related to T1 [234.4 and 33.6 Vs 263.6 g and 36.3 kg respectively] as well as the lowest consumption of dry matter [1678.1 Vs 1815.8 g respectively]). The other treatments had a similar behavior [P > 0.05] in the total consumption of dry matter and protein. Serum concentrations of protein, albumin, glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, and calcium were similar [P > 0.05] before and after treatments, while the serum magnesium concentration after supplementation was higher [P < 0.05] in T4 related to T1 and T2. Supplements such as EMA, palm kernel, wheat bran and buttercup silage have a positive effect on sheep fed with grass and Brachiaria spp. in terms of dry matter intake, weight gain and feed conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]