Current research studied the effect of partial replacing corn by glycerin and essential oils addition in the diet of Nellore bulls finished in feedlot. Thirty bulls with average weight 400 ± 34.1 kg were housed in collective pens (10 x 20 m²) for 63 days. The bulls were randomly assigned to 3 diets (10 bulls per treatment): CON - Control (without glycerin or Essential® oils); GLY - Glycerin (15% on dry matter - DM); and GEO - Glycerin (15% on DM) and Essential® oils (3 g animal day-1). Three different markers were used to estimate apparent digestibility in the diets: indigestible dry matter - iDM; indigestible neutral detergent fiber - iNDF; and purified lignin - LIPE®. Feed efficiency and animal performance were not affected by the corn partial replacing by glycerin. Partial corn replacing by glycerin and Essential® oils addition in the diets increased the DM and organic matter apparent digestibility for bulls. The glycerin addition in the diet decreased NDF, fibrous carbohydrate and non-fibrous carbohydrate digestibility. Apparent digestibility estimated by markers iDM, iNDF and LIPE® were similar to all nutrients in the diet.
cashew nut oil; castor oil; glycerin; markers
