The objectives of this work were to evaluate effects of replacing corn by cassava by-product meal, in diets of Saanen lactating goats, on milk production and composition (total solids and crude protein), nutrient apparent digestibility and total digestible nutrients (TDN) of diets. Four multiparous goats fitted with ruminal cannula, with 100 days of lactation, were used. The design was a 4 x 4 Latin square and treatments as following: 0, 33, 67 and 100% replacement of corn by cassava by-product meal. Treatments did not affect intake, fecal flow and dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), neutral fiber detergent (NDF) and non-fiber carbohydrate (NFC) total digestion (AD) and total digestibility (DIG). There was a linear fecal flow decrease and a starch digestibility increase with cassava by-product meal inclusion. TDN did not differ among diets with an average of 71.59%. There was a positive correlation (r = 0.9472) between OMDIG and TDN, making possible TDN estimation from the equation: TDN (%) = 0.8897OMDIG (%) + 10.9940 (R² = 0.8972). Cassava by-product inclusion did not affect milk production and composition (total solids and crude protein). These results permit to recommend inclusion of cassava by-product in goat lactating diets, in total replacement of corn without problems related to nutrient digestibility and milk production.
by-products; cassava; dairy goats; milk prodution; TDN
