Voluntary intake, digestibility and rate of passage of a hay and a silage fed to horses and to cattle

1995 ◽  
Vol 1995 ◽  
pp. 164-164
Author(s):  
B. McLean ◽  
A. Afzalzadeh ◽  
L. Bates ◽  
R.W. Mayes ◽  
F.D.DeB. Hovell

It is well established that the intake and digestibility of roughages by ruminants is positively correlated with rate of passage (ARC, 1980), presumably to enable as complete a microbial degradation of the poorer roughages as possible. On the other hand hind gut fermenters such as horses have been thought to have adopted the alternative strategy of using a high rate of passage to ‘cream’ off the rapidly degradable material of poor quality roughages so as to maintain adequate nutrient intakes. Surprisingly, there are remarkably few actual comparisons between ruminants and hindgut fermenters in the literature. Traditionally dried roughages (hay) and cereal and ‘by-product concentrates’ have been used as horse feeds (grains, brans sugar beet pulp). Recently there has been more interest in the use of silages with horses (eg Smoulders and Hobiers, 1988). However the information as to the utilisation of silages by horses is limited.

1995 ◽  
Vol 1995 ◽  
pp. 164-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. McLean ◽  
A. Afzalzadeh ◽  
L. Bates ◽  
R.W. Mayes ◽  
F.D.DeB. Hovell

It is well established that the intake and digestibility of roughages by ruminants is positively correlated with rate of passage (ARC, 1980), presumably to enable as complete a microbial degradation of the poorer roughages as possible. On the other hand hind gut fermenters such as horses have been thought to have adopted the alternative strategy of using a high rate of passage to ‘cream’ off the rapidly degradable material of poor quality roughages so as to maintain adequate nutrient intakes. Surprisingly, there are remarkably few actual comparisons between ruminants and hindgut fermenters in the literature. Traditionally dried roughages (hay) and cereal and ‘by-product concentrates’ have been used as horse feeds (grains, brans sugar beet pulp). Recently there has been more interest in the use of silages with horses (eg Smoulders and Hobiers, 1988). However the information as to the utilisation of silages by horses is limited.


Author(s):  
M. Cropper ◽  
M. Lloyd ◽  
G.C. Emmans ◽  
C.E. Hinks

The experiment described here was designed to test the proposition that lambs, given access to two feeds, as a choice, one abundant in crude protein (CP), the other deficient, can both select a diet which supports their potential growth rate and which avoids excesses of protein intake.Twenty four Suffolk x Greyface wether and females, at a mean liveweight of 20.2 kg (s.e. 0.6) were individually housed and their feed intake and liveweight recorded weekly.The four pelleted feeds used were highly digestible and had estimated energy yields of 10.5 MJ ME/kg freshweight. The basal feed (A) was made from equal parts barley and sugar beet pulp plus a vitamin/mineral mix. It contained 91 g CP/kg FW. Feed D was made by substituting fishmeal for the barley in feed A such that it contained 383g CP/kg. Feed B contained one third D and two thirds A and contained 182g CP/kg. Féed C contained two thirds D and one third A, giving a CP content of 266g CP/kg. Thus each of the four feeds A, B, C and D could be described in terms of either the proportion of feed A or the crude protein which it contained.Four lambs were offered feed A alone, and four lambs received feed B only. Twelve of the lambs were given ad 1ibitum access to both the basal feed A and one of the three other feeds B, C and D, for ten weeks. Four lambs were offered a choice between feed B and feed D for four weeks.


Author(s):  
E.M. Nengomasha ◽  
D. Fikrernariam ◽  
F.D.DeB. Hovell ◽  
S. Lopez

The literature suggests that supplementation of fibrous roughages with small amounts of rapidly fermentable carbohydrates can increase intake. A wide range of supplements has been used such as sugar beet pulp, (Silva, 1985), barley (Chimwano et al, 1976), maize starch (Huque, 1991) or sucrose (Campling et al, 1962). It has been suggested that one of the positive effects of rapidly fermentable carbohydrates on poor quality roughages is to provide extra fermentable organic matter, thereby enhancing microbial activity and fermentation of the less readily degradable components of the roughage. Thus Chappel and Fontenot (1968) used an 8 per cent concentrate inclusion with a roughage-based diet, and observed higher cellulose digestibility than without supplementation. We have suggested (Hovell et al 1988) that the outflow from the rumen of undegraded roughage residues is driven by salivary flow, rumen VFA levels stimulating saliva production during rumination. In this case, at least part of the effect of starchy concentrates on stimulating intake would be through a stimulation of rumen outflow. This hypothesis would seem to have been confirmed by the observations of Huque (1991) who supplemented a basal straw diet with maize starch (10, 20 or 30%) and observed an increased intake and rumen outflow with the lower levels of supplementation.The objective of the experiment described here was to study the effect of the addition of starch to a straw diet on voluntary intake and rumen parameters including the dynamics of water flux.


Author(s):  
A.C. Longland ◽  
W.H. Close ◽  
A.G. Low

The utilization of diets high in fibre (defined here as non-starch polysaccharide - NSP) is dependent on the extent to which the NSP is fermented by the gut microflora, and the subsequent utilization by the animal of the end-products of fermentation - the VFAs. It has frequently been assumed that fermentation of NSP in the pig occurs almost exclusively in the hind-gut. However, a number of studies using pigs fitted with ileal-cannulas have suggested that some fermentation of NSP may occur prior to the hind-gut (e.g. Graham et al., 1985). The aim of this study was to determine the relative roles of the small and large intestine in a) the digestion of feeds containing non-starch polysaccharides, and b) the subsequent utilization of energy by growing pigs. This was achieved by comparing the abilities of intact or ileo-rectomised pigs to digest and grow on cereal-based diets containing 0 or 300 g/kg sugar beet pulp.


Author(s):  
H R Stebbens ◽  
C A Morgan ◽  
C T Whittemore

Dried unmolassed sugar beet pulp contains complex polysaccharides which are highly fermentable in the growing pig and the neutral detergent fibre fraction is highly digestible. Fermentation in the hind gut of the pig is dependent on a supply of carbohydrate and nitrogen. The amounts of nitrogen available could limit microbial metabolism and hence sugar beet pulp digestibility at high levels of intake. The alms of the experiment were to examine:1.The effect of the level of protein on the digestibility of fibre from sugar beet pulp.2.The effect of the level of sugar beet pulp on nitrogen digestibility, nitrogen retention and nitrogen excretion.


1989 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 493-507 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Grenet

Four types of hay were used: an early-cut and a late-cut lucerne (Medicago sativa) and an early-cut and a late-cut ryegrass (Lolium italicum). Digestibility and voluntary intake were measured on six adult sheep maintained in metabolism crates and fed 10% above the previous day's consumption, in equal portions at 08.00 and 16.30 hours. Lucerne intake was higher than that of ryegrass at similar digestibilities. The rate of digestion of the four hays was measured using nylon bags and the rates of digestion of dry matter for late-cut lucerne were faster than those for the late-cut ryegrass. Eleven adult sheep fitted with oesophageal (four), rumen (four) or duodenal (three) fistulas were used for collecting digesta samples at the different sites. They were fed successively with the four hay types. Each was offered to appetite, once daily, in a meal taken over 4 h. The rumen of rumen-fistulated sheep was completely emptied by hand once before feeding (08.00 hours) and once after removal of refusals (12.00 hours). The number of times the ingested hay was chewed during the meal and the time spent masticating was greater for the late-cut hays and greater for the ryegrass compared with the lucerne hays. The particle size of the boluses was greater than that of the rumen contents, which in turn was greater than that of the duodenal contents and faeces. The percentage of particles > 8 mm in the boluses from the ryegrass was higher than that of lucerne, and that of the early-cut ryegrass was greater than that of the late-cut ryegrass. This was also the case for the percentage of particles > 1.6 mm in the rumen contents after the meal. The rate at which dry matter disappeared from the rumen was greatest during the meal except with late-cut ryegrass; it was particularly high with late-cut lucerne, a little less with early-cut ryegrass and much lower with the other two hays. When nylon bags containing food boluses were placed in the rumen, it was apparent that without rumination, with the exception of the very digestible early-cut ryegrass, microbial degradation alone did not reduce the particle size.


1973 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 205-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Fishwick ◽  
R. G. Hemingway ◽  
J. J. Parkins ◽  
N. S. Ritchie

SUMMARY1. The effects of 0·9 to 1·0 kg molassed sugar beet pulp cubes, supplemented with minerals and vitamins and with either 0, 3·0 and 7·8% urea, on the voluntary intake of oat straw (either 2·0 or 3·0% crude protein) were measured in two experiments with 250 to 300 kg British Friesian steers.2. Straw intake was increased by a maximum of about 20% when a total of about 165 g crude protein was supplied by the urea-containing sugar beet products.3. In one digestibility trial conducted with 385 kg steers, the inclusion in sugar beet pulp of urea equivalent to 89 g and 169 g crude protein/day comparably and significantly increased the digestibility of dry matter and crude fibre.


Author(s):  
F. Brouns ◽  
S.A. Edwards ◽  
P.R. English

Previous experiments indicated that several fibrous raw materials in dry sow diets failed to prevent excessive nutrient intake. Only a diet high in unmolassed sugar-beet pulp (SBP) limited voluntary intake to acceptable levels. SBP consists of mainly soluble fibre. It is known that some types of fibre can affect blood metabolites and hormone profiles, which might affect intake regulation. The effects on blood metabolites and insulin of a diet containing soluble or insoluble fibre were compared to a diet containing readily available carbohydrates.


Author(s):  
M. Fondevila ◽  
C. Castrillo ◽  
J. Gasa ◽  
J.A. Guada

Twenty-eight lamb ewes (44 + 0.45 kg live weight) were used to study the effect of type and level of supplementation on voluntary intake of barley straw, treated with 30 g/kg of anhydrous ammonia (TS) or untreated (US) but given with urea to ensure the same nitrogen content as TS (18 g/kg DM). Each type of straw was offered ad libitum, supplemented with grass hay, rolled barley and sugar beet pulp at rates of 150, 300, 4 50 and 600 g/d, in 6 Latin Squares (4 x 4). In addition, another 2 sheep received each straw alone during the same periods. Supplements were totally consumed, except hay, which was refused in 10 - 13 and 28 - 34 per cent for US and TS, respectively.Daily dry matter intake (DMI) of US (OMD = 0.423) and TS (OMD = 0.515) offer as sole feed were 511 ± 29.1 and 858 ± 45.2 g. As show TABLE 1, US was consumed at rates of 527, 576 and 568 g DM when supplemented with 150 g of hay, barley and sugar beet pulp, and no significant differences were found with further levels of supplementation. DMI of TS decreased linearly from 850 to 618 g/d (r = 0.75) and from 717 to 518 g/d (r = 0.63) when the level of barley and sugar beet pulp increased from 150 to 600 g/d. Substitution rates were estimated to be 0.31 and 0.27 for barley and sugar beet pulp, respectively. Decrease in TS intake when supplemented since 150 to 600 g/d of hay (720 to 605 g, respectively) were found not significative.


1995 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 293-304 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. T. Jensen ◽  
R. P. Cox ◽  
B. B. Jensen

AbstractThe intestinal production of skatole and its deposition in backfat was investigated in 35 uncastrated crossbred male pigs. The pigs were fed five purified non-commercial diets containing either casein or brewers yeast slurry as protein source. The yeast slurry diet was used alone or supplemented with either wheat bran (200 g/kg), sugar-beet pulp (200 g/kg), or soya oil (100 g/kg).Skatole concentrations in backfat, and in digesta in different sections of the gastro-intestinal tract were measured at slaughter (mean weight 112 kg). There were large variations in skatole concentrations in the hind gut of different animals given the same diet. Although there was some correlation between skatole in intestinal contents and deposition in adipose tissue, there were also large variations between individual animals in their response to intestinal skatole. Nevertheless, there was a clear effect of diet on both intestinal skatole production and skatole deposition in backfat. The use of casein as a protein source decreased microbial skatole production, the total amount in the gut, and the concentration in the backfat. Addition of sugar-beet pulp to the yeast slurry diet increased microbial activity in the intestine (measured as ATP content, concentration of short-chain fatty acids, and lowering of digesta pH). There was a decreased rate of skatole production during in vitro incubations of intestinal content, and less skatole in the hind gut and backfat.In vitro fermentations of freeze-dried Heal effluent inoculated with faecal bacteria, and addition of substrates to in vitro incubations of intestinal contents, demonstrated that tryptophan availability rather than microbial activity was the limiting factor for skatole production.The results show that skatole production depends on the amount of protein entering the hind gut and the proteolytic activity of the intestinal microbiota. Protein fermentation in the hind gut can be decreased either by using more readily digestible protein sources (for example casein rather than yeast slurry) which reduce the amount of protein passing through to the hind gut, or by adding an alternative energy source which is more readily metabolized by the hind gut microbiota (for example supplementation of the yeast slurry diet with sugar-beet pulp). This provides a basis for the rational design of diets which will decrease skatole concentrations in the carcass.


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