Inclusion of ripe mango as a source of energy in diets for Creole lambs in the dry tropics.

The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the use of ripe mango as a source of energy in an integral diet consisting of regional products for fattening lambs. Twenty-seven Creole lambs were used and given a 10-day period to adapt to the diet. Three treatments were evaluated: T1 = 40% mango; T2 = 50% mango; and T3 = control diet. In the in vitro analysis, partial and accumulated production of biogas and methane, degradation of dry matter, and neutral detergent fiber were determined. In the in vivo analysis, dry matter intake (DMI), daily weight gain (DWG), apparent digestibility of nutrients, and ruminal characteristics were estimated. The experimental design was completely random. The in vitro results helped hypothesize that the diets with low fiber content would not affect potential dry matter intake. With the exception of the protozoa count, ruminal characteristics were not different among diets (p > 0.05). In productive response, T3 was 13.73% higher DMI than T1, which was 32.24% higher than T2. T3 promoted 61.22% more DWG than T1 and T2. T2 displayed better digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, neutral detergent fiber, and crude protein than T3 (p < 0.05). Fattening lambs fed rations that contain 40% and 50% mango reduces the dry matter intake and daily weight gain relative to the control, although apparent digestibility is higher than for the control diet.