Supplementation of sheep with increasing levels of crude protein: performance, animal behavior, and contamination and spread of nematode larvae in Brachiaria brizantha ‘Xaraés’ pasture

• Published in: Semina. Ciências agrárias : revista cultural e científica da Universidade Estadual de Londrina Vol. 38; no. 1; p. 369
• Main Authors: Rodrigues, Rosane Cláudia, Melo, Maria Antônia, Sanchês, Sâmara Stainy Cardoso, Araújo, Jocélio Dos Santos, Rodrigues, Marcônio Martins, Jesus, Ana Paula Ribeiro de, Amorin, Susan Emanuelly Pinheiro, Araújo, Ricardo Alves, Araújo, Ivo Guilherme Ribeiro, Parente, Henrique Nunes
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 02-03-2017
• ISSN: 1676-546X; 1679-0359
• DOI: 10.5433/1679-0359.2017v38n1p369

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the performance, animal behavior, and contamination and spread of nematode larvae of sheep supplemented with increasing levels of protein (15, 25, and 35%) on Xaraés grass (Brachiaria brizantha ‘Xaraés’) pastures. Fifteen Santa Inês crossbred sheep, with an average age of approximately five months and average initial weight of 14.63 kg, were used in the experiment. The feeding behavior (grazing and idle times) of animals was found to be influenced by the supplementation provided. The highest level of supplementation provided to the animals reduced their grazing time. The different levels of supplementation influenced the average daily gain and total final body weight gain of the sheep in Xaraés grass pastures. A significant difference was observed in the presence of parasitic larvae in the Xaraés grass pastures depending on different protein levels throughout the regrowth period. The number of larvae in feces was influenced by the protein content of the supplement, and varied throughout the pasture rest period. Animals showed a decrease in the number of larvae as their dietary crude protein (CP) content was increased. Supplementation with high protein, together with the action of vermifuge, increased the performance of sheep and reduced their parasite load and grazing time in Xaraés grass pastures.