Avaliação de períodos de coleta total de fezes para determinar a digestibilidade aparente dos nutrientes em eqüinos

Abstract

Two digestion assays were carried out, with the objective to compare digestibility of sugar cane and sugar cane plus corn nutrients, in different fecal collection days. Five and four adult horses, without a defined breed and averaging 6 years of age, were utilized in assay 1 and 2, respectively. A randomized block design was used, with each horse considered as block and the days of fecal collection as treatments. In assay 1, the digestibility of sugar cane in six days of the fecal collection (days 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7) was evaluated; and in assay 2, the digestibitlity of sugar cane plus corn over five days of fecal collection ( days 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6) was estimated. There were no significance (P>0.05) between days of fecal collection to estimate digestibility of sugar cane and sugar cane plus corn nutrients. However, an increase (P<0.05) in the digestibility of the CP of the sugar cane plus corn, on the second day of collection was observed. The utilization of three to six and two to seven days of total fecal collection in digestion assays which equines, feed with a mixed diet or solely roughage, respectively, was very precise, and a standard five day, period is recomended.