FORAGE CACTUS COMBINED WITH DIFFERENT SILAGES AS DIETS FOR LACTATING RED SINDHI COWS

ABSTRACT Forage cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica Mill) is an important forage resource in the Northeast region of Brazil due to its adaptation edaphoclimatic conditions region, mainly drought periods. The objective this work was assess effects diets with combined different sources fibers on dry matter and water intakes, digestibility, microbial protein production, balance nitrogen compounds, performance Red Sindhi cows Semiarid Brazil. silages used were prepared from plants Atriplex nummularia Lindi., Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench, Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Walp., Manihot pseudoglaziovii Pax & K. Hoffm. They included cactus-based at a roughage concentrate ratio 58:42. distributed 4×4 double Latin square design 12 days for each period. Water intake presented differences (p<0.05) when using diet A. silage (19.42 L d-1). S. resulted lower coefficient digestibility (48.71%) than (68.46%). higher synthesis that G. silage, 115.01 80.07 g CPmic kg-1 TDN, respectively. evaluated, cactus, can be as lactating without affecting daily intake, milk fat content, synthesis, compounds.