This study aimed to evaluate the effect of calcium lignosulfonate associated with whole cottonseed in high-concentrate diets for sheep. Eight Dorper crossbred sheep with an average live weight of 42.5 ± 1.70 kg were assigned to two 4 × 4 Latin squares. The following experimental diets were evaluated: control diet (without calcium lignosulfonate) and diets with inclusion of 50, 100, and 150 g of calcium lignosulfonate/kg fresh matter. Diets were composed of soybean meal, ground corn, and whole cottonseed. Feed intake, digestibility, metabolic characteristics, and feeding behavior were evaluated. The intake of nutritional components did not show significant differences as a function of the lignosulfonate levels in the diet; however, the increase in calcium lignosulfonate levels linearly decreased the dry matter digestibility. Rumen ammonia nitrogen concentrations decreased linearly as the lignosulfonate levels in the diets were increased. There was no effect of lignosulfonate levels on blood parameters or feeding behavior of the animals. The use of lignosulfonate associated with cottonseed decreases the digestibility of dry matter and the concentration of rumen ammonia nitrogen, but does not change the intake of nutritional components, the blood parameters, or the feeding behavior of sheep.
Keywords: Methane; Rumen biohydrogenation; Volatile fatty acids.