The dry matter (DMD), organic matter (OMD) and gross energy digestibility (GED) and the total digestible nutrient (TDN) of the total ration were evaluated. The ration was composed by 44.3% of Brachiaria hay, 55% of concentrate and 0.7% of mineral mixture, supplied to different genetic groups (Gyr, Nellore, Guzerat, Santa Gertrudis and Caracu), using total collection of feces and the internal marker (lignin in acid detergent - ADL) as the digestibility techniques. The data were analyzed in a completely randomized design, with three replications of each genetic group, with analysis of variance for each technique and a correlation analysis between the techniques. Correlations were of medium magnitude (0.47 to 0.51) and significant (P<0.0602; P<0.0697; P<0.0747; P<0.0522), respectively, for DMD, OMD, GED and for TDN. The recovery of the marker (95.06%) was similar (P>0.05) among genetic groups. There were no differences (P>0.05) among genetic groups for DMD, OMD, GED and TDN using total collection of feces and the ADL as the digestibility techniques, with averages of 53.31 and 50.33; 55.16 and 52.25; 52.22 and 49.20; 53.39 and 50.61%, respectively. The ADL was efficient to estimate the digestibility. The digestibility of nutrients were similar among genetic groups.
correlation; digestibility; genetic groups; lignin
