PREDICTION OF DIGESTIBLE ENERGY INTAKE BY SHEEP OF DIETS CONTAINING GROUND ROUGHAGE AND GRAIN

Abstract

Digestibility and intake of diets containing 8, 28, 48 or 68% ground wheat straw plus ground crested wheatgrass and rapeseed meal, and diets containing 33, 48, 63 and 78% ground crested wheatgrass plus barley and rapeseed meal was measured with four yearling wethers per diet. Digestible energy (DE) content ranged from 2.07 to 2.95 kcal/g dry matter (DM) and dry matter digestibility (DMD) (%) from 48.7 to 71.1%. Regression of DE intake y (kcal/w0.75kg/d) on DE content (x) was curvilinear; y = −2,133 + 1,626x − 277.9x2, r = 0.996, P < 0.01, SE = ± 7.3. There was also a curvilinear relationship between diet density, as fed, (x) g (DM)/ml and DMD (%), y = 9.057 + 364.1x − 530.0x2, r = 0.970, P < 0.01, SE = ± 2.4. A linear regression equation was calculated over the DE range (2.07–2.52) for which there was an obvious increase in DE intake with increasing diet DE content; y = −700.6 + 361x, r = 0.994, P < 0.01, SE = ± 9.4, y = DE intake (kcal/w0.75kg/d), x = DE [kcal/g (DM)]. Using this regression equation and assuming a linear increase in DE intake with increase in diet DE content up to a point at which the apparent energy demand of the animal is satisfied gave a more accurate prediction of DE intake than when the curvilinear regression equation, y = −2,133 + 1,626x − 277.9x2, was used empirically. Accuracy of the prediction was further improved by expressing DE/unit ration volume instead of per unit DM. The sheep used in the present experiments had an apparent energy demand of 230 kcal/w0.75kg/day which was met at diet DE contents above 0.48 kcal/ml or 2.6 kcal/g (DM). There was a high correlation between in vivo DE content of the diet, y [kcal/g (DM)] and in vitro (x) digestible organic matter content, x, (%), r = 0.991, P < 0.01, y = 0.38 + 0.037x, SE = ± 0.04.