EVALUATION OF CANE STILLAGE IN SUBSTITUTI ON OF WATER IN FINISHING FEEDLOT .1. PERFORMANCE

During 90 days 243 finishing feedlot animals from two genetic groups, were weighed every 28 days in a randomized experimental procedure in a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement, with two breeds - Nelore (Nel) and Canch im (Can) - and three treatments: water (A), cane stillage + magnesium oxide (V) and cane stillage + magnesium oxide + sodium bicarbonate (V + B). The diet for all treatments was composed of 70% of corn silage a nd 30% of chopped sugar cane ad libitum plus 1 kg of ground corn and 1 ,5 kg of soluble yeast per animal. Results showed higher weight gain ( P < 0,01) of the Can group relation to those of Nel, having respective ly 1,35 and 1,22 kg/head/day. Both Can and Nel groups showed higher we ight gain (P <.01) when fed with V + B, with 1,44 and 1,32 kg/head/day respectively when comparing to the other diets: Can (A) = 1,30; Can ( V) = 1,31; Nel (A) = 1,16 and Nel (V) = 1,20 kg/head/day. The diet usi ng V + B has also showed a tendency (.05 <P <.10) of better food conve rsion thus showing positive effect of cane stillage when associated to the neutralizing compounds of the ruminal pH.