The objective of this trial was to investigate the effects of partially replacing ground corn with coffee hulls (0.0, 8.75, 17.5 and 26.25% of concentrate DM) on nutrient intake, apparent total tract digestibility, and daily weight gain of dairy heifers. Twenty-four Holstein x Zebu heifers were assigned to a randomized complete block design with four treatments and six replicates. Diets were isonitrogenous (15.5% CP) and contained 60% of Tifton-85 haylage and 40% of concentrate. Intakes of dry matter (6.75 kg/day), organic matter (6.23 kg/day), CP (1.04 kg/day), total carbohydrates (5.01 kg/day), and neutral detergent fiber (3.11 kg/day) were not changed whereas those of nonfiber carbohydrates (NFC) and total digestible nutrients (TDN) decreased linearly by inclusion of coffee hulls in the diet. Apparent total tract digestibilities of dry matter, organic matter, CP, total carbohydrates, neutral detergent fiber, NFC, and TDN all decreased linearly by partially replacing ground corn with coffee hulls. Daily weight gain decreased 6.94 g per each percentage unit of coffee hulls added to the diet. However, inclusion of up to 17.5% of coffee hulls (7.0% of the diet DM) maintained daily weight gain similar to those obtained with 0.0 and 8.75% of coffee hulls in the concentrate.
agroindustrial residue; chemical-bromatologic composition; feed conversion; weight gain
