CHEMICAL COMPOSITION, IN VITRO RUMEN FERMENTATION, AND DIGESTIBILITY OF SELECTED BROWSE SPECIES BY BUFFALOES (Bubalus bubalis L.) AT A SEMI-DECIDUOUS FOREST IN VENEZUELA

摘要: To determine the chemical composition and nutritive value of selected browse species by buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis L.) in a silvopastoral system at semi-deciduous tropical forest (SDTF), epidermal fragments fecal samples from 14 males Murrah breed were evaluated. The animals grazed for 91 days 85 ha located Portuguesa State, Venezuela, which 35 corresponded to natural grass pastures (969.3 ± 28.6 kg DM ha-1), rest SDTF with 463 plant ha-1. Eleven botanical families 22 identified, 40.9% belonged Fabaceae family. specie Guazuma ulmifolia (Sterculiaceae) had highest relative dominancy (60.4%) an Importance Value Index 162.6. 60.4% herbaceous Poaceae, was distributed among five different species, occurrence (94.6%) Samanea saman Sida acuta. There differences (P<0.05) proximal (40.9 7.1% dry matter, 16.0 4.1% crude protein 2.9 1.2% ether extract), neutral detergent fiber (41.6 2.2%), acid (25.9 3.8%), minerals (1.6 0.59% Ca 0.1 0.02% P), condensed tannins (0.9 0.7%), potential gas production (67.8 37.3 ml g-1 DM), vitro organic matter digestibility (54.2 8.0%). In general, edible fraction evaluated here similar other forages confirms strategic this biomass buffalo nutrition system. Furthermore, these could be employed agroforestry systems achieve better integration livestock areas.