Efeito da substituição do farelo de soja por ureia na dieta de caprinos Saanen sobre a carcaça, a qualidade da carne e o desenvolvimento testicular

Abstract

Brazil has an increasing demand for goat products; however, national goat breeding does not supply the domestic market. In order to increase the viability of goat production, low-cost ingredients that can replace protein concentrates such as urea should be used. Although urea is used in ruminant production, its nutritional effects on the male goat development are still poorly understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the substitution of soybean meal for urea on the diet of Saanen goats on carcass, meat quality and testicular development. The effects of substitution of soybean meal for 1% of urea in the diet of Saanen goats were analyzed. Eighteen male young goats were divided in two groups containing nine animals each, distributed in a completely randomized design. The diets were isoenergetic, isoproteic and composed of Tifton 85 hay (Cynodon spp.), concentrated with disintegrated corn, minerals and being differentiated by the inclusion of soybean meal or urea. The experimental period was 121 days. The performance of the animals, carcass and meat characteristics and testicular parameters were not influenced by the substitution of soybean meal for urea. Nevertheless, regarding the centesimal composition of the meat, protein and mineral levels differed significantly (p<0.05) in the Longissimus dorsi muscle with the substitution of soybean meal for urea. However, it is concluded that the substitution of 1% of soybean meal in the diet of confined goats does not influence carcass characteristics, meat quality and testicular development