Cereal processing and food utilization by sheep. 3. The effect of replacing whole barley by whole oats on food utilization and firmness and composition of subcutaneous fat

1975 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. R. Ørskov ◽  
W. R. H. Duncan ◽  
Constance A. Carnie

SUMMARY1. Forty-eight early-weaned lambs were used in an experiment in which whole barley was gradually replaced by whole oats in order to produce different types of rumen fermentation.2. The type of rumen fermentation promoted by whole barley did not give rise to excessively soft fat in female lambs; in males, however, some carcasses were unacceptable. An increase in the proportion of propionic acid in the rumen liquor was associated with an increased proportion of odd- and branched-chain fatty acids and a decreased proportion of stearic acid in carcass fat. When the molar proportion of propionic acid in the rumen liquor was above 30%, three out of every five carcasses from the entire male lambs had excessively soft fat.3. Assessment of food utilization was complicated by lower daily intakes of digestible organic matter (DOM) when more than about 15% of barley was replaced by oats and also influenced by changes in gut contents. With 100% whole barley the mean gut fill was 4·7 kg while with 100% oats it was 9·4 kg.Assuming a maintenance requirement of 100 kcal metabolizable energy/kg0·75, it was calculated that the digestible organic matter of oats was utilized more efficiently than that of barley to produce empty-body gain. Most of the differences in utilization disappeared if an adjustment was made for differences in gut contents. The results indicate that the maintenance requirement/kg0·75 decreases with increasing gut content.

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-161
Author(s):  
I. F. Adu ◽  
E. A. Olaloku ◽  
V. A. Oyenuga

EIGHTEEN Nigerian Dwarf ewe lambs about eight months of age and weighing between 15 and 20 kg were divided into three groups, A, B, and C, and fed diets supplying 75, 100 and 125% of the ARC energy standards (1965) from the 15th week of pregnancy through lactation. Mean daily intakes during the last seven weeks of pregnancy were: dry matter 569, 748 and 826g: digestible organic matter 260, 496 and 593; and calculated metabolizable energy 0.99, 1.81 and 2.16 Mcal for groups A, B and respectively. The daily intakes during lactation were: 660, 748 and 857g of dry matter; 287, 593 and 690g of digestible organic matter and 1.05, 2.16 and 2.51 Mcal of calculated metabolizable energy for groups A, B and C respectively. Mean daily liveweight gains during the last seven weeks of pregnancy were 14.2, 99.0 and 90.0g and during lactation — 43.0, 7.9 and 10.4g for groups A, B and respectively, the differences being highly significant (P <0.01). Mean birth weights of lambs were 1.18, 1.78 and 1.82kg for groups A, B and C respectively, the differences not being significant. Weight gains of lambs were highly significantly correlated with milk yield of their ewes. During a 10-week lactation period the differences in milk yields were highly significant between groups, with average daily yields of 312, 480 and 533g, for A, B and respectively. Peak yields were 481, 697 and 670 g for the respective groups between the second and third weeks of lactation. The mean values for milk composition were: fat, which remained relatively constant throughout lactation, 6.00, 6.36 and 6.40%; protein 4.82, 5.63 and 5.78%; lactose 4.15, 4.30 and 4.34%; total solids, which showed no definite trends during lactation, 15.98, 16.88 and 16.95%; and gross energy, which decreased with advancing lactation, 6.12, 6.18 and 6.38kcal/g for groups A, B and C respectively, the differences not being significant.


1977 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 133 ◽  
Author(s):  
JP Langlands

Grass and milk consumption and liveweight changes of lambs grazed at stocking rates ranging from 9 to 35 sheep/ha were measured during a 105 day lactation. Grass consumption and wool production of their mothers and of similar ewes without lambs were also determined. The forage and total organic matter intakes of the lamb increased with time while milk consumption declined; all three variables were negatively correlated with stocking rate. The intake of the ewe and its liveweight gain were not sensitive to increasing stocking rate, but wool production declined at higher stocking rates. The maintenance requirement of the ewes was estimated to be 218 kJ metabolizable energy/kg liveweight, and the efficiency with which metabolizable energy was utilized for milk production was 66%. Lactation increased the intake of the ewe but reduced its wool production.


1963 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. P. Langlands ◽  
J. L. Corbett ◽  
I. McDonald ◽  
G. W. Reid

SUMMARYThe mean daily digestible organic matter intake (D) of each of 47 adult sheep during a grazing period of mean length 48 days was estimated by the chromium sesquioxide/faecal nitrogen technique. Mean live-weights (W) and mean daily weight gains (G) were also measured.The regression of D on W and G, and the underlying or functional relationship between D, W and G were both estimated. From the underlying relationship, the preferred equation, the maintenance requirement of a 100 lb. sheep at pasture is estimated to be 1·02 lb. digestible organic matter daily. This value is 24% higher than the corresponding value for housed sheep obtained previously by us.This result is compared with other estimates of the energy cost of grazing and it is concluded that further work is needed in order to define those circumstances which elevate the maintenance requirements of grazing animals.


2002 ◽  
Vol 82 (4) ◽  
pp. 621-626 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. A. Lardner ◽  
S. B. M. Wright ◽  
R. D. H. Cohen ◽  
P. Curry ◽  
L. MacFarlane

Rejuvenation of forage stands is probably the most economic and practical method to improve production and quality of forage stands. Animal data are ultimately needed to validate the viability of the rejuvenation technique. This study determined animal responses to changes in forage nutrient composition following three methods of rejuvenation. Smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis L.) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) hay was harvested from rejuvenated plots on Black Chernozemic and Gray Luvisolic soils in Saskatchewan and fed to 24 ram lambs. The hay was harvested at two stages of maturity from plots that underwent the following rejuvenation techniques, selected to provide a range of responses: deep-banded liquid plus broadcast granular fertilizer (providing 200 kg N ha-1, 90 kg P2O5 ha-1, 46 kg K2O ha-1, 24 kg S ha-1), spring burn, and control. As maturity advanced, digestible organic matter intake (DOMI) (g d-1 kg-0.75) decreased (P < 0.05) for all diets harvested from burn and fertilizer plots. DMI (g d-1) and DOMI were always greater (P < 0.05) for hay (both early or late harvest) from the rejuvenated plots than from control plots. Grass-legume hay harvested early from spring burn treatment from the Gray Luvi solic soil site had a greater (P < 0.05) voluntary intake, (85.4 g d-1 kg-0.75) as compared with forage from control plots (76.2 g d-1 kg-0.75). Apparent digestibilities of DM and organic matter were greater (P < 0.01) for early harvested forage from control plots at the Gray Luvisolic soil site than early harvested hay from the fertilized plots. Metabolizable energy content was higher (P < 0.05) for early harvested hay from burn and fertilized plots at the Black soil site than hay from control plots. These results suggest that existing forage species, if harvested early, can be responsive to rejuvenation, resulting in improved animal performance. Key words: Rejuvenation, fertilizer, burn, lamb, grass-legume hay


1970 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 591-599 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Jackson ◽  
T. J. Forbes

SUMMARYHerbage from the same timothy/meadow fescue/white clover sward was ensiled at four different dry matter contents. The resulting silages had dry matter contents of 19·0, 27·3, 32·3 and 43·2%, the dry matter content increasing with the length of the wilting period. An experiment was carried out to determine the voluntary intake of the silages. Each silage was given to 7 animals individually, the mean live weight of these being 334 kg.Although the silages made from wilted herbage were lower in digestibility than that made from unwilted herbage, wilting increased dry matter intake and metabolizable energy (ME) intake. The mean daily intakes of digestible organic matter were 53·0, 58·1, 59·6 and 59·6 g/kgW0·73, for silages of increasing dry matter content. The corresponding ME intakes, expressed as a multiple of the ME requirement for maintenance, were 1·17, 1·29, 1·30 and 1·28. The percentage of acetic acid in the silage dry matter was significantly (r= −0·56) and linearly related to voluntary intake. The relationship between lactic acid concentration and voluntary intake was significantly curvilinear (r= 0·48).


1980 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 481-489 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. C. Thomas ◽  
N. C. Kelly ◽  
D. G. Chamberlain ◽  
M. K. Wait

Two experiments were conducted to study the digestion of organic matter, gross energy and carbohydrate constituents in the rumen, small intestine and caecum and colon of sheep given grass silage diets. Three silages made from perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) with formic acid as an additive were used. One was made from first-harvest grass in the spring and the others from regrowth grass cut from a single sward in either early autumn or late autumn. Expt I involved a comparison between the spring silage given alone or supplemented with barley (silage:barley, 4:I dry matter (DM) basis). Expt 2 involved a comparison between the early-cut and late-cut autumn silages.In Expt I, supplementation of the silage with barley resulted in a non-significant (P > 0.05) reduction in the proportion of digestible energy (DE) and digestible organic matter digested in the rumen and an increase in the proportions digested in the small intestine. There were also pronounced effects of barley on ruminal cellulolysis and the proportion of digestible cellulose broken down in the rumen was reduced (P < 0.05) from 0.90 to 0.77. There was an increased passage of α-linked glucose polymers to the duodenum but even with the supplemented diet 0.91 of the dietary polymers were digested in the rumen. The molar proportion of propionic acid in the rumen tended to be reduced and there were increases in the proportions of butyric acid (P < 0.01) and acetic acid.In Expt 2, the digestibility of organic matter, gross energy and cellulose in the early-cut silage was higher (P < 0.01) than in the late-cut silage but there were no significant (P < 0.05) differences between silages in the sites of digestion of these constituents. However, the molar proportion of acetic acid in the rumen was higher (P < 0.01) and the molar proportion of propionic acid was lower (P < 0.01) with the late-cut silage than with the early-cut silage.The results are discussed in relation to the voluntary intake and utilization of high-digestibility silages.


1969 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 389-397 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. J. Forbes ◽  
J. J. Robinson

SUMMARYTwo experiments were carried out to study the energy requirements of young fattening lambs for maintenance and production. Forty weaned lambs were used in each experiment, 20 being allocated to a high level of feeding (900 g air-dry feed per day) and 20 to a low level (540 g). The animals used in Experiment 1 were approximately 12 months of age and their mean live weight was 35·3±4·03 kg. Those in Experiment 2 were approximately seven months of age and their mean live weight was 36·7 ± 4·57 kg. Experiment 1 continued for 100 days and Experiment 2 for 47 days. Three digestibility trials, involving three animals from each feeding level, were carried out during the course of each experiment to obtain precise estimates of digestible organic matter intake (DOMI). The estimated mean DOMI required for maintenance for a 45-kg lamb was 400 g (0·88 lb) or 1500 kcal metabolizable energy per day. The estimated maintenance requirement was not affected by the age of the animal. The DOMI required for production ranged from 1·55 kg per kg live-weight gain for the younger animals to 1·71 kg for the older animals. Both these requirements were lower than those obtained by other workers and those suggested by the Agricultural Research Council (1965).


1966 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 155-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martyn H. Butterworth

The maintenance requirement for digestible organic matter of adult sheep has been derived by Wood and Capstick (1926) and more recently by Lang-lands, Corbett, McDonald and Pullar (1963) by means of regression analysis of data for feed intake, live-weight and live-weight gain.As data from digestibility trials carried out both in Trinidad and Venezuela were available, similar equations were derived for adult male sheep under tropical conditions. Groups of six adult male sheep were housed individually and total collections of faeces and urine were made for periods of 10 days after preliminary periods of 7 or 10 days. The quantity of forage offered was generally that which the individual sheep would eat without leaving a large residue. The results obtained in these trials and a more detailed description of the methods used have been described elsewhere (Butterworth, 1963; 1965). In all, 178 sets of data were used. Each set for an individual animal consisted of daily intake of digestible organic matter (D), the mean (W) of initial and final body weights, and daily change in weight (G) all in lb. Values of D and G were means obtained from the results for the 10-dayperiod. The value of G was subject to high error in determination as periods were short and measurement of weight change in ruminant animals over short periods is most unreliable (see for example, Lush, Christensen, Wilson and Black, 1928; Whiteman, Chambers, Loggins, Pope and Stephens, 1954). Mean values and ranges of the values were as follows: D=0·96 lb. (0·46–1·87 lb.), W=84·2 lb. (56·0–149·0 lb.) and G=0·02 lb. (-0·5-+0·5 lb.). The digestibility coefficients for the dry matter of the various forages used ranged from 47·3 to 68·0%.


1979 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Aston ◽  
S. R. Daley ◽  
J. C. Tayler

ABSTRACT1. Thirty lactating British Friesian heifers and cows were individually given maize silage ad libitum containing 331 g dry matter/kg, 13 g nitrogen and 11·2 MJ of metabolizable energy per kg dry matter. Urea or aqueous ammonia was mixed in at the time of feeding to give 7·0 g nitrogen per kg silage dry matter. Urea-treated silage was given with concentrates at a high (mean 6·6 kg dry matter/day: treatment HU) or a low (mean 3·3 kg:treatment LU) level of feeding; the lower level only was given with ammonia-treated silage (treatment LA).2. The addition of ammonia raised silage pH values from 3·9 to 4·4. Silage dry-matter intakes in lactation weeks 7 to 22 for treatments HU, LU and LA were 8·8, 11·1 and 10·7 kg/day.3. Digestible organic matter content in the dry matter of the diets measured in vivo was not significantly affected by treatment. However, digestible organic matter intakes were significantly greater for treatment HU than for LU in weeks 7 to 10, and for LU than for LA in weeks 11 to 22.4. The yields of milk and the contents of protein, lactose and energy did not differ between treatments. The milk yields for treatments HU, LU and LA in weeks 7 to 22 were 20·2,19·2, 18·8 kg/day respectively. Fat content of milk was significantly depressed with the HU treatment for heifers in weeks 7 to 10. The live-weight changes of the cows in weeks 7 to 22 for treatments HU, LU and LA were +0·10, −0·07 and −0·37 kg/day; the live-weight loss by cows given treatment LA was significantly greater than for LU. The live-weight change of the heifers was not affected by treatment.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 117-121
Author(s):  
T. A. Adegbola ◽  
A. A. Adeleye ◽  
Y. D. Yoila

Energy requirement for maintenance and weight gain of non-lactating, non-pregnant West African Dwarf ewes were determined by using equation of the form DOMI           = aw0.75 + bG........ (1) where, DOMI = Digestible Organic matter intake (kg/day), W = Liveweight of ewe (kg), G = Liveweight gain of ewe (kg/day), a = DOMI requirement per kg of Wkg0.75,  b = DOMI requirement for each kilogram liveweight gain. The regression equation obtained was DOMI = 0.0385Wkg 0.75 + 1.54G........(2). The values of DOM required per kilogram of Wkg0.75 and for each kilogram of liveweight gain, were 0.0385 and 1.54kg respectively. In terms of Metabolizable energy (ME) equation (2) can be written as follows: ME = 523.50Wkg0.75 + 20940.92G........(3) Values of ME required per kilogram of Wkg0.75 and each kilogram of liveweight gain were 523.5 and 20940.92 KJ from equation 3. These results are comparable to those obtained for other breeds of sheep of both temperate and tropical origin.


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