It was evaluated the effects of using products containing propolis in two propolis concentrations (B and C) and two alcoholic extractions (1 and 3) and sodium monensin in forage based diet on intake, total and partial digestibility and ruminal characteristics in cattle. It was used four Holstein castrated bovines, with body weight of 221 ± 21 kg, implanted with ruminal cannulla, in a 4 × 4 Latin square experimental design. The experimental diets were composed of 72.5% roughage and 27.5% concentrate and had 14.4% crude protein and 67% of total digestible nutrients (TDN), only differing to the presence of additives. The average intake of dry matter and nutrients did not differ among diets, except for the intake of TDN that was higher for animal fed control diet. The supply of additives, mainly propolis, reduced the total digestibility of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP) and total digestible nutrients (TDN). The total digestibility of neutral detergent fiber was similar among additives and it was lower than the control animals. The inclusion of propolis reflected in lower pH and production of acetate and total volatile fatty acids and monensin resulted in lower acetate:propionate ratio. The addition of the evaluated additives has negative effect on the concentration and intake of digestible energy of roughage based diets for growing cattle.
ammonia nitrogen; partial digestibility; rate of dilution; ruminal pH; volatile fatty acids
