Soybean molasses: an alternative to sheep's supplementation

The objective was to evaluate soybean molasses as supplement for sheep at crescent levels. Five-crossbred ½ Dorper - Santa Inês ewes with initial body mass of 45 ± 3.5 kg and 12 ± 2 months of age were used. Treatments consisted of 0, 3, 6, 9 and 12% of soybean molasses inclusion to a basal corn silage diet, which fed exclusively supports the nutritional requirements of ewes at maintenance. The treatments were assigned into 5×5 latin square design. Five experimental periods, of 12 days each (1st to 5th day: diet adaptation period; 6th to 12th: data collection and sampling), was adopted. The statistical analysis performed were regression analysis with 5% of significance. Crude protein and water intakes increase as increase the supplementation levels of soybean molasses, allowing the fit of linear regressions (P<0.05). Supplementation up to 12 % did not affect the intake of dry matter, energy and neutral detergent fiber or the digestibility of dry matter, protein and neutral detergent fiber (P>0.05). Also ingestive behavior and blood variables, as metabolicand mineral profile, was not affected (P>0.05). Soybean molasses can be used as supplement for sheep until 12 % of daily ration without affect feed digestibility, ingestive behaviour and metabolic profile.