PARÂMETROS FÍSICO-QUÍMICOS E MICROBIOLÓGICOS DO FLUIDO RUMINAL DE OVINOS CONFINADOS SUBMETIDOS A CRESCENTES NÍVEIS DE MISTURA MINERAL ENERGÉTICOPROTÉICA

The objective of this study was to evaluate rumenmicrobiota of four adult male sheep, castrated with rumencannula, alloted in a randomized split-plot block design.The animals were fed Brachiaria decumbens hay baseddiet, with increasing levels (0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 g/kg BW) ofsupplement with maize, soybean meal, urea and mineralmixture. The rumen fluid samples were collected fromanimals during fasting and at 2, 4 and 6h after feed, andanalyzed immediately after the collection, for theparameters pH, methylene-blue reduction, cellulosedigestion, activity and tally of ciliate protozoa (cel/mL).The pH values lower and higher than 7.0 were foundduring fasting (0h) and 2h after feed, respectively. Thepopulation of ciliated protozoa and its activity were higher at the highest supplementation level (P