This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of two levels of broiler litter (15.0 and 30.0%), associated or not to a supplement based on bovine lyophilized ruminal microbiota (0 and 10 g/animal•day), in the Holstein Zebu steers feeding. Four steers with ruminal and abomasal fistulae were allotted to a 4 x 4 latin square in a factorial arrangement and individually fullfed. The intake and total and partial digestibilities were evaluated. There was no effect of broiler litter level on the intake and coefficients of digestibilities of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF). The increase of the level of broiler litter in the diet increased the total and intestinal crude protein (CP) digestibility coefficient, however, when the supplement was added to the diet containing 15.0% of broiler litter, the intestinal digestibility increased, and that of 30.0% decreased. When the supplement was added to the diet containing 15.0% broiler litter, the total digestibility coefficient did not show effect, but decreased for the diet with 30.0%. The daily intake of 10 g of supplement per animal did not affect the intake and the coefficient of digestibilities of DM, OM and NDF.
nitrogen balance; broiler litter; intake; digestibility; microbiota
