Palm (Elaeis guineensis L.) kernel cake in diets for dairy cows

Resumo

The objective of the present study was to assess the effect of different dietary inclusion levels of palm (Elaeisguineensis L.) kernel cake (PKC) for lactating dairy cows on feed intake, nutrient digestibility and milk production. Diets containing 0, 113, 228, 342g of PKC/kg dry matter were formulated and fed to eight crossbred (Holandês x Zebu) dairy cows with mean weight of 382kg at 60-90 days of lactation. The cows were used in a double 4 x 4 Latin square design. Each experimental period lasted for 15 days, with 11 days adaptation and four days sampling. Increasing the levels of PKC in the diet reduced the intake of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), hemicellulose, non-fibrous carbohydrates (NFC) and total digestible nutrients (TDN). The NDF intake was higher at the 113g/kg PKC inclusion level compared to other treatments. There was linear decreasing effect on fat corrected milk with the inclusion of PKC. There was linear reduction in digestibility of dry matter(DM) and total carbohydrate (TC), but no effect was observed on the NDF and ADF digestibility. Linear increase was observed on crude protein (CP), NFC and ether extract (EE) digestibility. The digestibility of these nutrients probably increased because of the longer retention time of the digest in the rumen caused by reduced DM intake. The addition of PKC decreased the nutritive value of the diets, which subsequently reduced linearly milk production.