A metabolism trial was carried out at the facilities of the Cooperative of growers of the "Jacaré do Pantanal" , in Cáceres - MT, with the objective of evaluating the nutritional value of five energetic feedstuffs for the "jacaré-do-pantanal" (Caiman yacare). A completely randomized design with five treatments and three replicates was utilized, the experimental unit being constituted of three caimans, with a total mean weight of 3940 ± 240 g, average environmental temperature of 30.5 ± 5.0ºC and average temperature of the water of 27.8 ± 1.0ºC. The amount of feed furnished per replicate every two days was standardized in 20 g of dry matter per unit of metabolic weight (kg0.75). The means of the coefficients of apparent digestibility were compared through Tukey’s test (P<0,05). The coefficient of apparent digestibility of dry matter was of 80.78; 68.08; 69.91; 30.12 and 58.95 and the coefficient of apparent digestibility of gross energy (CADGE) was of 82.59; 60.58; 61.66; 25.17 and 48.57 for glucose, dextrin, cornstarch, ground corn and pectin, respectively. Glucose showed the highest CADGE value and corn the lowest (P<0,05).
"Jacaré-do-pantanal"; caiman; performance; digestibility; food; nutrition
