IMPACT OF SUPPLEMENTATION WITH MULTIFUNCTIONAL BLOCKS ON THE RUMINAL BACTERIAL DIVERSITY OF NELORE STEERS. BMF project

The objective of this study was to evaluate the parameters of ruminal fermentation, nitrogen balance, parameters of ruminal degradability of dry matter (DM) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF), ingestive behavior, metabolic parameters and ruminal bacterial diversity of supplemented Nellore steers with low-moisture, sugarcane molasses-based block or commercial energy protein supplement, fed with low quality tropical forage. Six castrated Nellore animals, permanently cannulated in the rumen, were randomly distributed in a double 3 × 3 Latin Square, with three diets and three experimental periods. The animals received hay from Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu ad libtum as a basal diet and were supplemented with: urea mineral salt (SMU), or commercial protein-energy supplement (SPE) or low-moisture, sugarcane molasses-based block (BMF).