Bioeconomic performance of sheep in feedlot termination fed with dehydrated grapes byproducts in association with various energy sources.

Abstract

The effect of diets combining dehydrated grapes byproducts with different energy sources on daily weight gain of sheep in feedlot termination and on cost/benefit was evaluated during 63 days. Eighteen seven months-old male sheep, non-gelded, no defined breed, weighting initially 23.0 kg, distributed on a completely random design with three treatments and six replications were used. The diets were composed of 50% of dried grapes residue and 50% of energy concentrates: ground corn grain (Zea mays L.), cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz.) chips enriched with 1.8% of urea, and cactus (Opuntia ficus indica Mill.) meal enriched with 1,1% of urea. All the ingredients in the diets had their production cost estimated. The daily weight gains were 117, 71, and 132 g, and the cost/benefit analyses were R$ 0.68, 0.61, and 1.01, respectively, for the dried grapes residue combined with ground corn grain, with cassava chips and with cactus forage meal. The best performance and the cheaper diet, obtained with dried grapes residue combined with cactus forage meal, gave the best financial indicators. The performance of the sheep period showed a good forage potential for winery residues combined with different energy sources.