The effect of different inclusion levels (0, 5, 10, and 15%) of cassava bagasse to the diet of 12 Holstein x Zebu crossbred dairy cows (breed composition varying from ¼ to ¾ H x Z blood), averaging 478.5kg body weight and 100 to 150 days in milk was evaluated. Cows were distributed in three 4 x 4 latin squares. The intake of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), total carbohydrates (TC), non fiber carbohydrates (NFC), and total digestible nutrients (TDN) were evaluated. Elephant grass silage was provided as roughage source. The roughage:concentrate ratios were 65.19:34.81; 61.59:38.41; 59.08:40.92; and 54.76:45.24. Isonitogen and isoenergetic diets were formulated. There was a linear increase in DM, OM, CP, TC, NFC, and TDN intakes, quadratic effect of EE intake, and a reduction of ADF intake with the increase of the BM; while no diference among treatments was observed for NDF intake. The cassava bagasse can be used until 15% inclusion level in the total diet of crossbred dairy cows without physiological or nutritional damage.
cassava bagasse; dairy cattle; intake; residue; byproduct
