Effects of Zinc Sulfate or Propylene Glycol on Intake, Digestibility, and Forage Selection by Grazing Sheep in a Semi-Arid Region During the Rainy Season

The objective of this study was to determine intake, nutrient availability, and animal selection of major forage species in sheep supplemented with zinc sulfate or propylene glycol in Caatinga-native pastures during the rainy season. Twenty-four mixed Santa Ines sheep, all non-castrated males, with initial weight of 19.3 ± 2.52 kg and 4 ± 0.35 months of age, were distributed in a complete randomized design into three treatments: Control (CT)—concentrate supplemented at 0.7% of body weight; CT + 300 mg of Zn day−1; CT + 2.5 mL of propylene glycol/kg LW0.75·day−1. Measurements were done in four periods during the rainy season, with 28 days of interval between each measurement. Differences were observed in the composition of the ruminal extrusa samples from pastures for crude protein (CP) (192 to 131 g kg−1), in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) (537 to 441 g kg−1), and in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) (468 to 359 g kg−1) in March and June, respectively. There was no effect for treatments, neither for the treatment x period interaction on organic matter (OM), CP, and fibrous fraction intake (p > 0.05). Organic matter intake (OMI) was, on average 23.9% greater in March compared to June. CP intake decreased monthly (p 0.05) on selection of vegetal species present in the pasture. On the other hand, the proportion between ingested species changed over the experimental period. Greater intakes were found in April compared to May, except for Zizyphus joazeiro intake, which was greater in March (p < 0.05). In conclusion, based on the finding of this study, Zn and propylene glycol (PG) supplementation did not improve sheep nutrient intake when grazing Caatinga-native pasture in the rainy season. Caatinga-native pasture biomass has adequate protein and digestible organic matter levels during early rainy season. Over this period, however, the advanced maturity of the plants and the reduced availability of pasture may result in variations of intake by the animals. In the months of April to June, a reduced energy supply is caused by reduced nutritive values of pastures, which contributes to inefficient protein utilization and reduced feed intake.