The objective ofthis work was to evaluate the effect of sugar cane hydrolysis with calcium oxide(CaO) on nitrogen balance, concetrations of urea in the urine and in the plasmaand synthesis in microbial protein in goats. Eight castrated male Saanen breedgoats, with 22.6 kg average body weight and at four months of age were useddistributed in two 4 × 4 Latin squares, during four 14-day experimentalperiods. The rations which were formulated to be isoprotein, with 14% crudeprotein (CP) were composed of 70% sugar cane (treated with 0; 0.75; 1.5 or 2.25%of calcium oxide in natural matter basis and corrected with 1% urea) and 30%of concentrate given ad libitum to animals. Sugar cane with calcium oxide waschopped in a stationary chopper, weighted and stored in 50-L plastic bucketsand treated with calcium oxide to be given to the animals after 24 hours ofstorage. Nitrogen balance, urine and plasma urea concentrations and urine ureaexcretion were not affected by sugar cane +calcium oxide treatment. Concetrationof allantoin (% total purine) was higher and the uric acid concentration waslower in diets with sugar cane hidrolised with calcium oxide in relation toin natura sugar cane. The microbial production and efficiency are not affectedby addition of calcium oxide to sugar cane in diets for growing goats.
