| Abstract: The objective of this work was to evaluate the nutritional value of erect prickly pear (EPP) (Opuntia stricta), stored for different periods, and its acceptability by Girolando heifers. Five heifers were distributed in a 5x5 Latin square. The treatments were as follows: EPP without storage time; stored EPP for three post-harvest periods - 7, 14, and 21 days; and cochineal nopal cactus (CNC) (Nopalea cochenillifera) without storage time, as a control treatment. The diets offered to the animals were composed of cacti of the different treatments, as well as sugarcane silage and soybean meal, and were evaluated for their chemical composition, intake, and nutrient digestibility. The ingestive behavior of the heifers was evaluated. The cactus EPP did... |
