Efeitos de Rações com Níveis Crescentes de Cana-de-Açúcar em Substituição à Silagem de Milho sobre a População de Protozoários Ciliados no Rúmen de Ovinos

Abstract

Eight rumen fistulated rams were delineated in two Latin Squares in four periods of 35 days each and four treatments consisted of increasing levels of sugar cane (SC) in substitution to the corn silage (CS): A) 100% CS, B) 67% CS and 33% SC, C) 33% CS and 67% SC and D) 100% SC, to evaluate the population of ciliate protozoa in the rumen. The total concentrations of rumen ciliate protozoa and of Entodinium decreased and the values of pH of the ruminai content increased linearly as dietary sugar cane levels increased. No differences between treatments were observed for the rumen volume and the rumen liquid turnover rate.