Non-ruminant Livestock Research Articles

Influence of processing on the digestibility of amino acids and starch in cereals and legumes in non-ruminants

Non-ruminant livestock diets in most regions of the world are based on cereals and plant proteins that are particularly important in view of the current ban on animal proteins within the European Union, although they are still valuable raw materials elsewhere. The major component of cereals is starch that makes a significant contribution to energy-yielding value. Starch has traditionally been viewed as being very well digested, although, increasingly, this statement is being challenged. Thus, native (raw) starch is, to a varying degree depending on the origin, crystalline which is less well digested than is amorphous starch. Processing (invariably heat treatment) reduces the degree of crystallinity of starch, leading to better digestibility, particularly in young animals. For newly weaned pigs, processing can overcome, to an extent, the post-weaning growth check. Extrusion can improve the coefficient of apparent digestibility of starch in wheat three-quarters along the small intestine, from a range of 0.50 to 0.85 (raw) to 0.95. Plant proteins invariably contain naturally occurring anti-nutritive factors, principally trypsin inhibitors that are particularly important in soya beans but also occasionally in peas. The inhibitors are heat labile and denatured by heat. There are several technologies available for processing plant proteins, but a key message is that equipment operates under variable conditions of temperature, duration and moisture addition. Over-processing risks protein being denatured; for example, a trypsin inhibitor activity of 1.5 mg/g is associated with a reduction in amino acid digestibility. It is crucial that processing conditions are defined accurately rather than simply providing the name of the equipment.

Metabolism Energy, Nitrogen Retention, and Mineral Retention of Phosphorus Calcium and Zinc of Sugarcane Juice in Broilers

Poultry feed derived from grains has an anti-nutrient phytic acid. Naturally, phytate forms a complex bond with some minerals (P, Zn, Fe, Mg, and Ca), protein, and amino acids. The mineral-phytate complex cannot be absorbed by the small intestine of non-ruminant livestock and will adversely affect the availability of minerals in the ration. One way to improve the efficiency of mineral and protein utilization from phytate is using phytase. Sugarcane juice containing nutrients and phytase is very potential as liquid supplement for broiler chickens as it can hydrolyze phytic acid. The purpose of this study was to determine the retention of nitrogen, metabolism energy, and retention of minerals (P, Ca and Zn) of sugarcane juice in broilers. The study was conducted for 7 days using metabolism cages for 28 broilers of 5 weeks old with 6 treatments of 4 replications, 4 for endogenous. The results showed that the administration of 2.5%/kg sugarcane juice in the ration as well as in 2.5%/liter sugarcane juice in drinking water could provide the same result as giving commercial phytase 250-500 FTU/kg on the retention of nitrogen, metabolizeable energy, and retention of minerals P, Ca and Zn.

Standardised ileal digestibility of crude protein and amino acids of UK-grown peas and faba beans by broilers

In view of the increasing interest in home-grown legumes as components of diets for non-ruminant livestock and in an attempt to reduce the reliance on imported soya bean meal (SBM), two experiments were conducted to evaluate samples of peas and faba beans for their standardised ileal digestibility (SID) of amino acids determined with young broiler chicks. Experiment 1 evaluated six faba bean and seven pea cultivars and Experiment 2 evaluated two faba bean and three pea cultivars as well as a sample of soya bean meal provided as a reference material. Peas and beans were added at 750g/kg as the only source of protein/amino acids in a semi-synthetic diet containing the inert marker titanium dioxide; SBM was added, in a control diet, at 500g/kg. Each diet was fed to six replicates of a cage containing two Ross-type broilers for 96h at which point birds were culled allowing removal of ileal digesta. Chemical analyses allowed the calculation of the coefficient of SID of amino acids. There were no differences between samples of the same pulse species (P>0.05) but peas had higher values (P<0.05), similar to SBM, than beans. Trypsin inhibitor content (expressed as g trypsin inhibitor units/mg sample) of all pea samples was low and in the range 0.83–1.77mg/kg. There was relatively little variation in bean tannin content and composition amongst the coloured-flowered varieties; however, the white-flowered cultivar had no tannins. There was no correlation between tannin content and coefficient of SID. The content of SID of amino acids (g/kg legume) was higher in SBM when compared with peas and beans by virtue of having higher total concentrations.

Quantitative genetic analysis of condensed tannins in oilseed rape meal

Condensed tannins (proanthocyanidins, PAs) in the seed meal of oilseed rape can potentially have a negative impact on non-ruminant livestock nutrition, particularly because of their ability to form indigestible, astringent or bitter-tasting complexes with proteins. One option to overcome this problem is the breeding of oilseed rape varieties with reduced condensed tannins in the seed coat. This might be achievable via selection of genotypes with thinner seed coats and consequently reduced condensed tannin accumulation (seed coat structural cell mutants), or alternatively by selection of genotypes with reduced biosynthesis of condensed tannins (flavonoid biosynthesis mutants). Both types of transparent testa (TT) mutants are well-characterised in Arabidopsis; however the genetic basis of the yellow-seed trait in the polyploid genome of rapeseed is still not completely understood. In this study, genetic and chemical analyses of PAs were performed in 166 doubled haploid (DH) rapeseed lines from the segregating Brassica napus doubled haploid population YE2-DH (black seed × yellow seed). Using these analyses, the relationship between seed colour and PA fractions in B. napus was investigated with a view to improving the rapeseed meal quality. Proanthocyanidin contents were estimated by vanillin and HPLC assays and the obtained values were used to identify quantitative trait loci. Closely linked molecular markers that were identified during this study for the target traits (seed colour, condensed tannins) can be valuable tools for breeding of new oilseed rape cultivars with reduced levels of antinutritive PA compounds.

Productivity growth and convergence in crop, ruminant, and nonruminant production: measurement and forecasts

AbstractProjections of future productivity growth rates in agriculture are an essential input for a great variety of tasks, ranging from development of an outlook for global commodity markets to the analysis of interactions between land use, deforestation, and ecological diversity. Yet solid projections for these variables have proven elusive—particularly on a global basis. This is due, in no small part, to the difficulty of measuring historical total factor productivity growth. Consequently, most productivity projections are based on partial factor productivity measures that can be quite misleading. The purpose of this work is to provide worldwide forecasts of agricultural productivity growth till the year 2040 based on the latest time series evidence on total factor productivity growth for crops, ruminants, and nonruminant livestock. The results suggest that most regions in the sample are likely to experience larger productivity gains in livestock than in crops. Within livestock, the nonruminant sector is expected to continue to be more dynamic than the ruminant sector. Given the rapid rates of productivity growth observed recently, nonruminant and crop productivity in developing countries may be converging to the productivity levels of developed countries. For ruminants, the results show that productivity levels in developing countries are likely to be diverging from those in developed countries.

Nutrient composition, availability, current and potential uses of dusa: a cereal by-product obtained from \'koko\' (porridge) production

Samples of Dusa, a cereal by-product derived from \'koko\' (porridge) production, from twenty \'koko\' producers located at Aboabo, Akwatia Line, Dagomba Line, Adukrom, Roman Hill and Sabon-Zongo, all suburbs of Kumasi in the Ashanti Region of Ghana were analysed to determine nutrient composition, establish the extent of availability, the current and potential uses. Questionnaires were administered at each production site to determine, inter alia, the type of cereals used, production processes, the extraction rate and cost (¢/kg) of dry Dusa. The samples were analysed for their proximate composition and (%) NDF, ADF and Hemicellulose. The mean DM, CP, EE, CF, Ash and NFE ranged between 89.58-93.02, 10.51-21.86, 1.42-5.38, 4.70-10.77, 0.68-4.55 and 58.29-68.89% respectively and the corresponding mean NDF, ADF and Hemicellulose ranged from 27.56-62.47, 6.52-14.95 and 18.76-50.08%. There were significant (p < 0.05) differences between the products from the different sites with respect to their DM, CP, CF, Ash and NFE contents. The survey showed that mainly backyard farmers patronised Dusa and the data collected indicated that the extraction rate for Dusa was 9.02%. The price of dry Dusa ranged between ¢200.00 and ¢300.00/kg. Dusa is comparable to other cereal by-products such as rice bran, maize bran, wheat bran, etc. in nutrient composition and can therefore be used in ration formulation for both ruminant and non-ruminant livestock. Keywords: \'koko\', dusa, nutrient composition Journal Of Science And Technology Vol. 25 (1) 2005: 33-42

Influence of flavomycin on microbial numbers, microbial metabolism and gut tissue protein turnover in the digestive tract of sheep

Flavomycin is an antibiotic that promotes growth in ruminant and non-ruminant livestock. The aim of this study was to determine the mechanism of action of flavomycin in sheep by measuring microbial numbers, microbial metabolism and gut tissue protein turnover at different sites in the digestive tract. Two weight-matched groups (n 5) of male castrate lambs (30 kg) received 800 g grass cubes/d for 6 weeks, with one group receiving 20 mg/d flavomycin during the last 2 weeks. Samples of digesta and gut tissue segments were obtained immediately post mortem, 90 min after a flood-dose of [ring-D5]phenylalanine. Viable bacterial counts and volatile fatty acid concentrations were highest in ruminal digesta, followed by the colon and caecum, then the duodenum and ileum. The only effect of flavomycin was an increased bacterial count in the rumen (3.5 v. 1.2 x 10(9) per g; P=0.04). Acetate was proportionally greater and propionate and butyrate were lower in the caecum and colon than the rumen. Flavomycin had no effect on volatile fatty acid proportions or ammonia concentrations. Bacteria growing on peptides as sole C source were not affected by flavomycin. Proteolytic, peptidolytic and amino acid deamination activities were similar in the rumen, caecum and colon; they tended to be lower in animals receiving flavomycin. Protein turnover in ruminal wall and duodenal tissues, measured by a flood-dose technique, decreased with flavomycin (P=0.075 and 0.027, respectively). Thus, flavomycin differs from ionophores in its mode of action. It may influence protein metabolism of both digesta and tissue throughout the ruminant digestive tract.

Effects of variability in trypsin inhibitor content of soya bean meals on true and apparent ileal digestibility of amino acids and pancreas size in broiler chicks

Variability in the nutritional value of processed soya bean meal (SBM) and full fat soya bean (FFSB) currently restrict its use in diets for non-ruminant livestock. Two metabolism trials determined the amino acid digestibility and effect on pancreas size in young broilers of eight commercially obtained products. Trypsin inhibitor (TI) values varied from 1.1 to 3.6 mg/g but were all within the tolerated range of trypsin inhibitor activity (TIA). The results of the trials reported demonstrated that the coefficients of digestibility for individual amino acids varied widely between samples (e.g. coefficient of ileal apparent digestibility (CIAD), for lysine was from 0.755 to 0.884 for SBM and 0.778 to 0.848 for FFSB) but did not correlate with TIA levels, indicating other factors also affect amino acid digestibility of FFSB and SBM. Pancreas to body weight ratio (PBWR) increased with rate of soya inclusion in both the SBM (from 2.25 to 2.44 g pancreas/kg body weight) and the FFSB (from 2.19 to 2.40 g pancreas/kg body weight). The linear increase in pancreas size with increasing TIA intake suggested a dose dependent response that should be considered in feed formulation.

Agronomic and Seed Traits of Soybean Lines with Low–Phytate Phosphorus

About 75% of the total P in conventional soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] seed is phytate P, which cannot be readily digested by nonruminant livestock, such as swine and poultry. The phytate P in soybean lines homozygous for the recessive alleles pha1 and pha2 is reduced to about 25% of the total P. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of low phytate (LP) on agronomic and seed traits of soybean. Three populations were developed by crossing three cultivars with normal phytate (NP) to the LP line CX1834‐1‐6. From each population, 10 LP and 10 NP lines were selected and grown in replicated tests at three Iowa environments during 2003. The mean total P of the LP and NP lines was not significantly different, but the mean phytate P, inorganic P, and other P were significantly different for the two types of lines in the three populations. The mean seedling emergence of the LP lines was 45% compared with 68% for the NP lines. The mean differences between the LP and NP lines for the other agronomic and seed traits were not significant in one or more of the populations. On the basis of these results, reduced seedling emergence will be a major factor to consider in the development of commercially viable cultivars with the pha1pha1pha2pha2 genotype for LP.

Analysis of Incidence, Depth and Severity of Poverty Status among Livestock Farmers in South Western Nigeria

This paper relies on a study that attempts to analyze the incidence, depth and severity of poverty among livestock farmers in Southwestern Nigeria. The data for the study was collected in the Soughtwestern area of Nigeria. The sampling method employed for the study was multistage sampling procedure. Three towns were re randomly selected for the study. They are Oyo metropolis, Abeokuta metropolis and Ondo metropolis. Two hundred and seventy livestock farmers were randomly sampled for the southwestern Nigeria with 90 livestock producers sampled from each metropolis. The main analytical tool used for the study is the FGT weighted poverty index. The headcount ratio revealed that non-ruminant farmers have more of its population below the poverty line when ruminant and non ruminant farmers should be raised by 23 percent and 33 percent respectively while the income of the core-poor ruminant and non-ruminant farmers should be raised by 17 percent and 22 percent respectively in order to exit poverty. Results also reveal that poverty is more severe among non-ruminant livestock farmers than their ruminant livestock producer's counterpart. The study therefore concludes that ruminant livestock farmers are better off in terms of welfare than their no-ruminant counterparts. Keywords: Poverty status, Livestock farmers, Southwestern Nigeria

Identification and Characterization of a Low Phytic Acid Wheat

Phytic acid (myo‐inositol‐1,2,3,4,5,6‐hexakisphosphate, or Ins P6) is the most abundant storage form of P in seeds, yet indigestible by humans and nonruminant livestock. A wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) mutant is described herein with greatly reduced seed phytic acid P but little change in seed total P, similar to lpa1‐type mutants described in other grain species. One nonlethal mutant from 562 ethyl‐methanesulfonate (EMS) mutagenized M2 lines was identified with a high inorganic phosphate (HIP) phenotype and designated Js‐12‐LPA. Js‐12‐LPA homozygotes produced seed in which phytic acid P represented 48.2% of seed total P, in contrast to 74.7% of seed total P in nonmutant or wild‐type control, Js‐12‐WT. The inorganic portion of seed P was increased from 9.1% in Js‐12‐WT to 50.1% in Js‐12‐LPA, with little effect on total seed P. Weight distributions among milling fractions were similar for the Js‐12‐LPA and Js‐12‐WT genotypes. The low phytic acid trait altered the distribution of total P within the kernel, increasing the P content of the central endosperm and decreasing the P content of the bran. The low phytic acid trait decreased the phytic acid concentration in the bran by 43% and increased the inorganic P concentration in the bran nearly four‐fold. Inheritance data of F2 and F4:6 families was inconsistent with a single‐gene mutation and suggests the involvement of two or more genes. This low phytic acid wheat mutant is a genetic resource for studying the biology of seed phytic acid metabolism and wheat quality improvement.

Identification and Characterization of a Low Phytic Acid Wheat

Phytic acid (myo-inositol-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexakisphosphate, or Ins P6) is the most abundant storage form of P in seeds, yet indigestible by humans and nonruminant livestock. A wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) mutant is described herein with greatly reduced seed phytic acid P but little change in seed total P, similar to lpa1-type mutants described in other grain species. One nonlethal mutant from 562 ethyl-methanesulfonate (EMS) mutagenized M2 lines was identified with a high inorganic phosphate (HIP) phenotype and designated Js-12-LPA. Js-12-LPA homozygotes produced seed in which phytic acid P represented 48.2% of seed total P, in contrast to 74.7% of seed total P in nonmutant or wild-type control, Js-12-WT. The inorganic portion of seed P was increased from 9.1% in Js-12-WT to 50.1% in Js-12-LPA, with little effect on total seed P. Weight distributions among milling fractions were similar for the Js-12-LPA and Js-12-WT genotypes. The low phytic acid trait altered the distribution of total P within the kernel, increasing the P content of the central endosperm and decreasing the P content of the bran. The low phytic acid trait decreased the phytic acid concentration in the bran by 43% and increased the inorganic P concentration in the bran nearly four-fold. Inheritance data of F2 and F4:6 families was inconsistent with a single-gene mutation and suggests the involvement of two or more genes. This low phytic acid wheat mutant is a genetic resource for studying the biology of seed phytic acid metabolism and wheat quality improvement.

Mineral availability from barley low phytic acid grains in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss ) diets

Phosphorus storage within plant seeds occurs mainly as phytic acid, which has profound implications on the use of seeds as food material. Phytic acid phosphorus is unavailable to non-ruminants, leaches ionic minerals during digestion, and is excreted at elevated levels as a waste product. This presents a problem in nonruminant livestock production including current efforts to develop renewable grain and legume products for use in fish feeds. The development of lines of several cereal grain species that have reduced seed phytic acid concentration provides a novel approach to dietary and environmental problems associated with seed phytic acid. Utilizing four isogenic strains of barley (one normal for seed phytic acid, and three low phytic acid lines that produce seeds with approximately 50, 70 and 95% reductions in phytic acid) the apparent digestibility of nutrients in formulated diets containing these barleys at a level of 30% was measured using rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Also examined was the apparent availability of several minerals including phytate phosphorus and total phosphorus. Results from these studies corresponded well with the results of other animal studies that evaluated low phytic acid cereal grains. With increasing reductions in seed phytic acid, seed available phosphorus increased and faecal phosphorus was reduced by up to 50%. Calcium availability increased, copper and sulphur decreased, and the other tested minerals demonstrated either increased or decreased availability in a manner uncorrelated to grain phytic acid concentration.

Quantitative genetic analysis of acid detergent fibre content in barley grain

Abstract Acid detergent fibre (ADF) in cultivated barley ( Hordeum vulgare vulgare L.) grain, a major indicator of digestibility, negatively affects feed quality, especially of non-ruminant livestock and poultry. Genetic studies of barley grain ADF content have been very limited. The objectives of this study were to map quantitative trait loci (QTLs) affecting ADF content to a molecular marker linkage map in barley, and to determine interactions among the QTLs identified. A population of 150 doubled haploid lines (DHLs) derived from a cross of ‘Steptoe’/‘Morex’ was used for mapping. A total of five QTLs were identified; three with relatively large effects mapping adjacent to one another on chromosome 2H and one each on chromosomes 4H and 1H (5). The five QTLs explained 64.5% of total variation. Steptoe contributed high ADF alleles at all QTLs identified. In order to confirm that the three adjacent QTLs on chromosome 2H are distinct genetic units, three DHLs representing each QTL were selected for backcrossing to Morex. Analysis of F 2 ADF data from these three crosses showed that the three QTLs are distinct heritable genetic units. Additivity among the three major QTLs on chromosome 2H and the QTL on chromosome 1H (5) were observed.

The potential for transmissible spongiform encephalopathies in non-ruminant livestock and fish.

Pigs and poultry in the United Kingdom have undeniably been exposed to the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) agent. They consumed the same ruminant protein that gave rise to the BSE epidemic in cattle, but there has been no evidence of an epidemic in these species. Experimental investigations have shown pigs to be susceptible to infection by multiple parenteral challenge, but resistant to oral exposure with BSE-infected cattle brain. Current but incomplete evidence suggests that they are also resistant to oral challenge with sheep scrapie. Studies in domestic chickens indicate that they are resistant to both parenteral and oral challenge. Unfortunately, no published data exists on the susceptibility of fish to infection. Incidental findings in the brains of unexposed pigs are described that could otherwise give rise to concerns aboutthe presence of a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy in pig populations around the world.

A Safety Evaluation of Genetically Modified Feedstuffs for Livestock Production; the Fate of Transgenic DNA and Proteins

Two genetic constructs used to confer improved agronomic characteristics, namely herbicide tolerance (HT) in maize and soyabean and insect resistance (Bt) in maize, are considered in respect of feeding to farm livestock, animal performance and the nutritional value and safety of animal products. A review of nucleic acid (DNA) and protein digestion in farm livestock concludes that the frequency of intact transgenic DNA and proteins of GM and non-GM crops being absorbed is minimal/non existent, although there is some evidence of the presence of short fragments of rubisco DNA of non-GM soya in animal tissues. It has been established that feed processing (especially heat) prior to feeding causes significant disruption of plant DNA. Studies with ruminant and non-ruminant farm livestock offered GM feeds demonstrated that animal performance and product composition are unaffected and that there is no evidence of transgenic DNA or proteins of current GM in the products of animals consuming such feeds. On this evidence, current HT and Bt constructs represent no threat to the health of animals, or humans consuming the products of such animals. However as new GM constructs become available it will be necessary to subject these to rigorous evaluation.

Isolation of High Seed Inorganic P, Low‐Phytate Soybean Mutants

Phosphorous in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] seed is stored primarily as phytic acid, which is nutritionally unavailable to nonruminant livestock. The objective of this study was to isolate mutations that reduce soybean seed phytic acid P and increase seed inorganic P. Following treatment with ethyl methanesulfonate, M2 through M6 plants were screened for high seed inorganic P. Seeds of M2 plants high in inorganic P produced progenies high in inorganic P through the M6 generation. M6 progenies of one plant averaged 6.84 g kg−1 seed phytic acid and inorganic P varied from 2.34 to 4.41 g kg−1 or 60 to 66% of phytic acid P plus inorganic P. M6 progenies of a second plant averaged 10.89 g kg−1 phytic acid and varied from 1.21 to 3.84 g kg−1 inorganic P, representing from 47 to 51% of the sum of phytic acid P plus inorganic P. In contrast, nonmutant seeds of the check cultivar Athow contained 15.33 g kg−1 phytic acid and averaged 0.74 g kg−1 inorganic P, representing 15% of the sum of phytic acid P plus inorganic P. Low phytic acid and high inorganic P in these progenies should increase the nutritional value of soy meal and reduce excess P in livestock manure.

Developments in plant breeding for improved nutritional quality of soya beans II. Anti-nutritional factors

Nutritional value of most plant materials is limited by the presence of numerous naturally occurring compounds which interfere with nutrient digestion and absorption. Although processing is employed widely in removal of these factors, selection of cultivars of soya beans with inherently low levels would have a considerable impact on efficiency of non-ruminant livestock production. The review considers the role of plant breeding in achieving this objective. The most abundant trypsin inhibitors are the Kunitz and the Bowman–Birk inhibitors, containing 181 and 71 amino acids respectively. The Kunitz inhibitor is present at a concentration of 1·4 g/kg of total seed contents and the Bowman–Birk inhibitor 1·6 g/kg. A large number of isoforms of the Bowman–Birk inhibitor have been described in soya bean cultivars and it has been shown that the general properties of the inhibitor are, in fact, attributable to different isoforms. Nulls for both Bowman–Birk and Kunitz trypsin inhibitors have been identified, allowing new low trypsin inhibitor cultivars to be produced. However, research into breeding for low trypsin inhibitor cultivars currently has limited application as trypsin inhibitors contribute a major proportion of the methionine content of soya beans. Trypsin inhibitors are thought to be involved in the regulation of and protection against unwanted proteolysis in plant tissues and also act as a defence mechanism against attack from diseases, insects and animals. Hence, in breeding programmes for low trypsin inhibitor cultivars, alternative protection for growing plants must be considered. Use of soya beans in non-ruminant animal feeds is limited by the flatulence associated with their consumption. The principal causes appear to be the low molecular weight oligosaccharides containing α-galactosidic and β-fructosidic linkages; raffinose and stachyose. Non-ruminants do not have the α-galactosidase enzyme necessary for hydrolysing the α-galactosidic linkages of raffinose and stachyose to yield readily absorbable sugars. Soya beans contain between 6·8 and 17·5 g of phytic acid/kg; a ring form of phosphorus (P) which chelates with proteins and minerals to form phytates not readily digested within the gut of non-ruminants. One approach for over-coming the effects of phytic acid is through synthesis of phytase in the seeds of transgenic plants. Currently, recombinant phytase produced in soya beans is not able to withstand the processing temperatures necessary to inactivate proteinaceous anti-nutritional factors present. Soya bean lectins have the ability to bind with certain carbohydrate molecules (N-acetyl-D-galactosamine and galactose) without altering the covalent structure. Lectins are present in raw soya bean at a concentration of between 10 and 20 g/kg. Purified soya bean agglutinin is easily inactivated by hydrothermal treatment but in complex diets binding with haptenic carbohydrates may confer protection against denaturation. The majority of research into soya bean lectins is carried out using laboratory animals so very limited information is available on their in vivo effects in farm animals. This review is concerned specifically with breeding but there are other means of improving nutritive value, for example processing which may alter protein structure and therefore functionality of proteinaceous anti-nutritional factors present.

Digestion by sheep of diets containing different ratios of grass silage to partially-fried potato chips

In preparing potato chips for the fast food industry a proportion of the material produced is rejected. Although the composition of these partially-fried chips would suggest that the chips should be fed to non-ruminant livestock, the bulky wet nature of the material precludes this option for many. Therefore a substantial proportion of the chips produced are fed to ruminants especially to growing cattle. Little is known about the rumen digestion of such materials. The aim of the experiment was therefore to evaluate potato chips as a ruminant feed.

Digestion by sheep of diets containing different ratios of grass silage to partially-fried potato chips

In preparing potato chips for the fast food industry a proportion of the material produced is rejected. Although the composition of these partially-fried chips would suggest that the chips should be fed to non-ruminant livestock, the bulky wet nature of the material precludes this option for many. Therefore a substantial proportion of the chips produced are fed to ruminants especially to growing cattle. Little is known about the rumen digestion of such materials. The aim of the experiment was therefore to evaluate potato chips as a ruminant feed.