This study aimed to evaluate nutrient intake and blood parameters of Holstein cows fed sugarcane based diets. Treatments consisted of fresh chopped sugarcane (FS), hydrolyzed sugarcane (HS) and HS + 6 g live yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) (HSY). All treatments contained concentrate with ground corn, soybean meal, cottonseed meal, urea, mineral salt. Roughage:concentrate ratio offered was 60:40. Twelve Holstein cows with body weight of 590 kg were assigned into 4 contemporary 3 × 3 Latin Squares, with 3 periods of 21 d each and 3 treatments. The sugarcane used was IAC 862480 fifth cut and 12 mo of growth, chopped in particle size of 8 mm. The sugarcane was hydrolyzed with 0.5% of hydrated lime (95% of calcium hydroxide) using 0.5 kg of hydrated lime with 2 L of water to each 100 kg of sugarcane. Intake was regulated for animal by daily weighting of diet and orts, allowing for 5 to 10% of orts. Samples of feedstuffs and orts were weekly collected for chemical analyses and determination of dry matter (DMI), neutral detergent fiber (NDFI), crude protein (CPI) and ether extract (EEI) intakes. Blood samples were collected by jugular vein before the first meal for blood parameters determination: glucose (GLU), total protein (TP), total cholesterol (TC), albumin (AL), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Two contrasts were used to test the effect of FS vs. HS and HSY (C1); and HS vs. HSY (C2). Differences between treatments were considered significant at P < 0.05. FS promoted differences in all nutrient intakes. FS decreased DMI (11.43, 14.78 and 14.38 kg/d; P = 0.03); NDFI (5.78, 7.95 and 7.09 kg/d, P = 0.02); CPI (1.06, 1.32 and 1.39 kg/d; P = 0.03), EEI (0.48, 0.60 and 0.62 kg/d; P = 0.03), compared with HS and HSY, respectively. There were no differences for HS vs. HSY on nutrient intakes. There were no differences for none of the studied blood parameters (P > 0.05). Fresh chopped sugarcane decreased nutrient intake of Holstein cows compared with hydrolyzed sugarcane.