The NaOH treated sugar cane bagasse (BT) (2, 4 e 6%) and untreated cane bagasse (BN) was evaluated as rabbit diet ingredients. The digestion coefficients (CD) were determined in a completely randomized design, with five treatments (basic diet) and 40% bagasse diets (0, 2, 4 e 6% NaOH) and four replications, using substitution methodology (Matterson et al., 1965). The nutritive values of bagasse (DM, CP, NDF, CF and GE) were not significantly (P>0,05) affected by NaOH treatment, whereas AFD was significantly (P = 0,0023) linearly decreased by the chemical treatment (y = 20,042 - 2,7615x , r² = 0,984). It was concluded that the treatment was not effective to improving the CD of sugar cane bagasse, being the practice not justifiable.
Methodology of feed evaluation; animal nutrition
