Allometry of carcass cuts of lambs fed with elephant grass silage dehydrated passion fruit peel

Abstract

The allometric growth of the carcass cuts of 16 Santa Inês rams, fed with elephant grass silage (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) with different proportions of dehydrated passion fruit peel (Passiflora edulis Sims f. flavicarpa), 0, 10, 20 and 30%, was evaluated. The animals were confined for 60 days and slaughtered after solid fasting for 16 hours. The final live weight, half carcass weight, weight gain in kg, average daily gain, dry matter intake and food conversion showed an increase proportional to the levels of dehydrated passion fruit peel addition, with positive effect in elephant grass silage. The neck and anterior arm of the
lambs fed silage containing 30% dehydrated passion fruit peel showed significant mean values of 1.038 g and 0.365 g,  respectively. The shoulder, leg, loin, rib/flank, shorts ribs, anterior arm and posterior arm showed an isogonic growth, and neck presented negative heterogonic growth. Dehydrated passion fruit peel can be used at up to 30% in the elephant grass silage without compromising the relative development of Santa Ines lambs carcass cuts.