The objective of this study was to evaluate the dry matter and nutrient intake and digestibility and to estimate the energy value of diets with the inclusion of soybean hulls (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100%) replacement of ground corn in the diet of kids goats. The rations consisted of oat hay, ground corn and/or soybean hulls, soybean meal and mineral supplement. Five Saanen kid goats (32.44 ± 4.00 kg), housed in digestibility cages, in a 5 × 5 Latin square design were used. Total feces were collected with canvas bags. Each period consisted of 12 days, seven days to adapt to the rations and five days for collections. The intake of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), total carbohydrates (TC) and total digestible nutrients (TDN) were altered by the inclusion of soybean hulls in the rations. However, for the intakes of ether extract, NDF and starch there was a linear effect. Quadratic effects were observed for the digestibility of DM, OM, CP, TC, NDF, starch and the TDN but the ether extract digestibility was not altered. The inclusion of the soybean hulls up to 75% in the rations of kid goats improved digestibility, resulting in higher energy value with economic viability.
digestibility; energy; goats; soybean byproduct; total feces
