The inclusion of 0, 7, 14, and 21% of cassava bagasse was evaluated on apparent digestibility of nutrients in dairy heifers. Twenty ¾Gir x ¼Holstein dairy heifers averaging 180kg initial mean body were used. The animals were distributed in a completely randomized design and received diets composed by sorghum silage as roughage. The apparent digestibility coefficients (DC) of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and non-fiber carbohydrates (NFC) were evaluated and total digestible nutrients of diets (TDN), were determined. DM, OM, CP, and ADF digestibility coefficients were not affected by treatments. DC of the EE were 80.9, 73.2, 74.7, and 68.3%; for NDF 55.0, 48.3, 49.1, and 37.4% and for NFC of the 87.9, 89.5, 84.6, and 83.1% for 0, 7, 14, and 21% treatments, respectively. TDN content had linear reduction as diet cassava bagasse level increased, showing values of 68.0, 66.2, 67.0, and 62.5% for 0, 7, 14, and 21% treatments, respectively. It is recommended the inclusion of cassava bagasse for dairy heifers diet until 14%.
dairy heifer; digestibility; TDN, residue; cassava
