The objective of this trial was to study the effects of enramycin and sodium monensin administration on total digestibility of diet nutrients and digestible dry matter intake in bovine. Twelve non-pregnant and non-lactating cows (675 kg ± 63 BW) were randomly assigned to three treatments: control group, enramycin-treated group or monensin-treated group. Animals received a diet containing 60% of concentrates (corn, soy bean meal and minerals) and 40% of forage (sugarcane). Treatments were 20 mg/animal/day of enramycin or 300 mg/animal/day of monensin. Trial lasted 21 days, the last 10 used for external marker administration (15 g of chromic oxide/animal/day) and the last 5 for feces collection and feed sampling. None of the antibiotics affected digestible dry matter and TDN intake and the digestibilities of dry matter, crude protein, ether extract, acid detergent fiber, neutral detergent fiber, starch, gross energy or total digestible nutrients.
digestibility; intake; ionophores; non-ionophores; ruminants
