Assesses the effects of inclusion of palm kernel cake in the diet of growing sheep reared
under tropical conditions, with emphasis on effects on intake, digestibility and performance of
ruminants. For testing the intake and digestibility was used 16 Santa Inês sheep, with a mean
age of 3 months and weighing approximately 19 kg during 19 days, 14 of adaptation and five
days of collecting data and samples from metabolic cages. And for performance, with 15 male
4 months old, the same breed, weighing approximately 20 kg for 56 days, distributed in a
randomized blocks with four treatments: 0, 25, 50 and 75% inclusion of palm kernel cake in
the concentrate, diets composed of 40% (dry matter basis) of silage, elephant grass
(Pennisetum purpureum) and 60% concentrate consisting of corn, soybean, palm kernel cake
and minerals. The result showed a linear reduction in dry matter intake with the inclusion of
palm kernel cake, but there was no statistically significant difference in dry matter
digestibility. It was also noted an increase in digestibility of NDF and ADF in diets with
higher proportions of palm kernel cake. In the performance test, there was a linear reduction
in weight gain of animals as it raised the level of palm kernel cake in the diet, the result of
lower dry matter intake (p <0.05) and worse feed conversion. The palm kernel cake is
potentially productive, with high dry matter availability and good nutritional value. It is a
good alternative to be used as a food supplement for sheep, but at higher levels can reduce
animal performance, and its use depends on the purchase price and cost: benefit.
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