The intakes of dry matter (IDM), metabolizable energy (IME), ether extract (IEE), crude protein (ICP), neutral detergent fiber (INDF), acid detergent fiber (IADF) and organic matter (IOM) and the daily weight gain (WG), in kg/day, and feed conversion (FC) were determined to evaluate the effect of three dietary energy levels, for sheep. Eighteen Santa Inês sheep (averaging live weight of 20 kg six months old) were full fed diets with 2.42, 2.66 and 2.83 Mcal of metabolizable energy (ME)/kg of dry matter (DM). A randomized block design, with six replicates, was used. IDM, in kg/day, %LW, g/kg0.75, showed no effect, as the dietary energy levels increased, with average of 0.88 kg, 3.33% and 75.52 g, respectively. INDF and IADF showed linear decreasing effect, as the dietary energy levels increased. IEE and IME increased linearly, as the dietary energy levels increased. There was no significant effect for ICP, as the dietary energy levels increased. Dietary energy levels did not influence weight gain and feed conversion, that were of 0.123, 0.137, and 0.191 kg and 9.6, 8.4, and 7.0, respectively.
intake; weight gain; nutrients
