DESEMPENHO DE CORDEIROS SANTA INÊS SUBMETIDOS A ALEITAMENTO ARTIFICIAL ENRIQUECIDO COM Spirulina platensis

The experiment was carried out in Maria Paz Ranch/Sheep Production Department, in Sao Jose de Espinharas, PB. Analyses were performed in the Laboratory of Animal Nutrition/Centro de Saude e Tecnologia Rural/Universidade Federal de Campina Grande. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of the supplementation with cow milk enriched with Spirulina platensis (Sp) on lamb performance submitted to creep feeding, and determine the most adequate period to suplemet nursing lambs with Spirulina platensis. Data on dry matter (DMC) and crude protein (CPC) consumptions, body weight (BW), and mean daily body weight gain (MDBWG) were colleted. The three levels of Spirulina supplementation were assigned to 30 lambs (plots) according to a randomized block (lamb weight) design with 10 replications. Data were collected in four consecutive periods, characterizing a split plot in time. DM and CP consumptions were not affected by spirulina level x period interaction, and increased with periods (animal age). BW and MDBWG were affected by the spirulina level x period interaction. Spirulina levels affected MDBWG only from day 0 to day 15, when the MDBWG (300g) was higher at level 10g than at level zero of Spirulina that resulted in 205g in MDBWG. Live body weight at the end of each period was also higher when the lambs were supplemented with 10 g of Spirulina (12.00 17.02, 19.71 and 25.30kg, respectively, for the four consecutive periods). The dilution of Spirulina platensis in cow milk showed to be efficient on the daily performance of lambs when utilized in concentration of 10g/day and from period 15 to 30 days of age. KEYWORDS: Feed, milk, sheep, Spirulina platensis.