Intake, digestibility, nitrogen balance, performance, and carcass yield of lambs fed licuri cake

This study aimed to determine the impact of the inclusion of licuri cake in the diets of crossbred Santa Ines lambs, based on intake, digestibility, N balance, urea N, and performance. We used 44 male lambs that were vaccinated and wormed, with an average age of 6 mo and an average BW of 21.2 kg +/- 2.7 kg. The lambs were fed a mixture of Tifton-85 hay (40%) and a concentrated mixture (60%) composed of ground corn, soybean meal, and mineral premix. For the treatments, licuri cake was added at levels of 0, 8, 16, and 24% of DM, with the licuri cake replacing soybean meal and ground corn. We used 11 lambs per treatment in a randomized design. The lambs were confined for 70 d, and the digestibility trial occurred between Day 40 and Day 55. The increased level of licuri cake inclusion promoted a linear reduction in DM intake (P = 0.00) with a 39% reduction between treatments with the 0 and 24% cakes. On the other hand, ether extract (EE) consumption showed an initial quadratic increase (P = 0.00). The total weight gain and ADG showed a linear decrease (P = 0.00) with the addition of licuri cake. The inclusion of licuri cake linearly enhanced (P = 0.02) the digestibility of CP and EE, whereas the digestibility of other nutrients in lambs remained unchanged (P > 0.05). The licuri cake increase led to a linear decrease (P < 0.05) in the N intake, fecal N, and retained N in lambs. Urinary N was not changed. The slaughter carcass weight, HCW, cold carcass weight, hot carcass yield, and cold carcass yield showed linear decreases (P < 0.05) with the addition of licuri cake. Carcass morphometric measurements were influenced by experimental diets, showing linear decreases (P < 0.05) with the addition of licuri cake to diets. The fat thickness, conformation, external length, internal length, leg length, rump width, and chest circumference showed linear decreases (P < 0.05) with the inclusion of licuri cake in diets. The inclusion of licuri cake decreased DMI and digestibility, reflecting the lower ADG. Although feed efficiency was not affected, the lambs weighed less at slaughter and the licuri cake had a negative impact on carcass yield. Therefore, the use of the studied levels of licuri cake in diets for finishing lambs cannot be recommended.