The feed intake and production of feces and urine were
registered, and diet, feces and urine samples were collected.
Feces samples were collected twice daily and stored at
−18 °C. Urine samples were collected in buckets containing
20 mL of HCl (1:1 with distilled water), and 100 mL samples
were stored under refrigeration at 3 °C. At the end of the experiment,
following the procedures described by AOAC
(2005), the samples were homogenized, lyophilized and analyzed
for dry matter, ash, ether extract, nitrogen (N) and
energy