Sheep Diets Research Articles

Sainfoin can be included up to 40% in the concentrate of finishing lambs without impairing their performance, rumen fermentation, and carcass quality

Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) is an excellent forage legume to be included in sheep diets as fresh forage, but its inclusion in concentrates fed to indoor lambs reared has been scarcely studied. This study evaluated the effects of including different levels of dehydrated sainfoin in the concentrates fed to light lambs during the finishing period on animal performance, ruminal fermentation, and carcass traits. Twenty–six weaned male Rasa Aragonesa lambs (14.0 ± 0.49 kg body weight) were randomly grouped and individually fed ad libitum with isoproteic and isoenergetic pelleted concentrates containing 0% (0SF; n=9), 20% (20SF; n=9) or 40% sainfoin (40SF; n=8) for 40 days, from weaning to slaughter. In addition, an in vitro assay was carried out to evaluate the concentrates. The 40SF lambs had a higher dry matter intake (P < 0.01) and tended to show an improvement in average daily gain (P < 0.10). The diet had no effect on carcass weight, dressing percentage, rectus abdominis color or subcutaneous caudal fat color (P > 0.05). Regarding the rumen study, the diet did not affect most ruminal fermentation parameters (P > 0.05), except for pH, which was greater in 40SF lambs than in 20SF lambs (P < 0.05), and the proportion of acetic acid and the acetic:propionic ratio, both of which were higher in 40SF and 20SF lambs than in 0SF lambs (P < 0.01). The results from the in vitro assay showed that the 40SF diet decreased the in vitro dry matter degradability, increased propionic, and decreased butyric proportion compared to 0SF concentrate (P < 0.05), but no effect was obtained for gas, methane, total volatile fatty acids, and ammonia formation among diets (P > 0.05). The lack of detrimental effects on lamb performance and carcass traits suggests that the inclusion of up to 40% sainfoin in the concentrate of light lambs reared indoors would be advisable to promote the use of local forages.

Cocoa byproduct inclusion in dairy sheep diet: Effects on sensory, volatile, and antioxidant properties of cheese

The possibility of inclusion of agro-industrial byproducts in the diet of small ruminants represents both an economic and an environmental strategy for reducing waste management by industries and costs of feeding as well as the impact of livestock farming. Large amounts of wastes from the cocoa industry are produced annually, with a considerable part represented by cocoa bean shells, considered a suitable ingredient to be included in the diet of ruminants within the limits established by European legislation. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of including cocoa bean shells in the diet of dairy sheep on the sensory, volatile, and antioxidant properties of cheese. To this purpose, 20 lactating Comisana ewes were randomly assigned to 2 experimental groups: control (CTRL) and cocoa bean shells (CBS), and received alfalfa hay ad libitum and 800 g of conventional (CTRL) or experimental (CBS) concentrate containing 11.7% CBS to partially replace corn and barley of the CTRL concentrate. Bulk milk collected from each group was used to produce a total of 15 cheeses per group, obtained in 5 different days of cheesemaking (3 cheeses a day per group). After 60 d of aging, each cheese of each experimental group was sampled for the analyses. The results on chemical composition revealed a greater content of monounsaturated fatty acids and an increase in the nutritional indices, suggesting a favorable role of cocoa bean shell dietary inclusion on the nutritive value of cheese. The cheese sensory profile was affected by the cocoa bean shell inclusion, with more pronounced appearance, odor, aroma, and taste attributes in the product. The volatile profile showed only a few significant differences, mainly related to the cheese ripening process, and no differences were found in α-tocopherol contents in cheese fat between the 2 groups. Therefore, the inclusion of coca bean shells in the diet of dairy sheep allowed us to obtain a good-quality cheese, without altering the characteristics associated with the typical profiles of sheep cheese. Furthermore, the use of this byproduct could contribute to decreasing feed costs and waste management, representing a good practice for increasing the sustainability of dairy products.

Evaluation of internal markers in digestibility estimation for sheep and goats.

The objective of this study was to compare the indirect methods of obtaining digestibility with the direct method of total fecal collection to estimate the apparent digestibility of nutrients in sheep and goats supplemented with non-protein nitrogen. Five goats and five sheep with no defined racial pattern were used, distributed in two 5 × 5 Latin squares, with split plots, considering the diets as plots and the apparent digestibility determination methodologies as subplots. The diets were composed of buffelgrass hay and the addition, via ruminal infusion, of increasing amounts of nitrogen supplementation in order to gradually raise the CP level of the basal diet in intervals of 2% points, that is, + 2, +4, + 6 and + 8%. Samples of the feeds offered, and the leftovers were collected daily during the five days of collection to determine the nutrient intake, as well as the total collection of feces to determine the apparent digestibility of the nutrients. The amount of fecal dry matter excreted was estimated by the concentration of Indigestible Acid Detergent Fiber (ADFi), Indigestible Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDFi), Indigestible Dry Matter at 244h (DMi 244h) and Indigestible Dry Matter at 264h (DMi 264h). Among the evaluated markers, DMi 264h had the lowest accuracy in estimating fecal excretion and nutrient digestibility. For the goat species, the markers ADFi and DMi 244h proved to be able to adequately predict fecal excretion and digestibility indices, while NDFi stood out for both species. Among the evaluated markers, NDFi is the one that most accurately estimates the nutrient digestibility of the diet for goats and sheep.

Effects of yeast culture on in vitro ruminal fermentation and microbial community of high concentrate diet in sheep.

This research aimed to investigate effects of different yeast culture (YC) levels on in vitro fermentation characteristics and bacterial and fungal community under high concentrate diet. A total of 5 groups were included in the experiment: control group without YC (CON), YC1 (0.5% YC proportion of substrate dry matter), YC2 (1%), YC3 (1.5%) and YC4 (2%). After 48h of fermentation, the incubation fluids and residues were collected to analyze the ruminal fermentation parameters and bacterial and fungal community. Results showed that the ruminal fluid pH of YC2 and YC4 groups was higher (P < 0.05) than that of CON group. Compared with CON group, the microbial protein, propionate and butyrate concentrations and cumulative gas production at 48h of YC2 group were significantly increased (P < 0.05), whereas an opposite trend of ammonia nitrogen and lactate was observed between two groups. Microbial analysis showed that the Chao1 and Shannon indexes of YC2 group were higher (P < 0.05) than those of CON group. Additionally, YC supplementation significantly decreased (P < 0.05) Succinivibrionaceae_UCG-001, Streptococcus bovis and Neosetophoma relative abundances. An opposite tendency of Aspergillus abundance was found between CON and YC treatments. Compared with CON group, the relative abundances of Prevotella, Succiniclasticum, Butyrivibrio and Megasphaera elsdenii were significantly increased (P < 0.05) in YC2 group, while Apiotrichum and unclassified Clostridiales relative abundances were decreased (P < 0.05). In conclusion, high concentrate substrate supplemented with appropriate YC (1%) can improve ruminal fermentation and regulate bacterial and fungal composition.

The Effects of Encapsulation and Double-layer Emulsion of Peanut Oil on in vitro Rumen Degradability Rates and Fermentation Profile in Sheep

Background: Peanut oil is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and plays an important role in human and animal health. PUFAs are generally undergo to the biohydrogenation (BH) process by the rumen microbes. The single-layer emulsion encapsulation has been used in sheep diet. However, a limited reference was found concerning double-layer techniques to protect the essential PUFAs from BH process in the rumen. Methods: EDLEPO was made with a matrix of peanut oil, whey protein isolate (WPI), microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and maltodextrin at 40: 2.5: 7.5: 55. The first layer was the binding of WPI with peanut oil and the second layer is the binding of WPI with MCC. Moreover, the in vitro experiment was designed with 5 treatments separated by CON group (0 g/kg EDLEPO) and experimental groups which are leveled by EDLEPO inclusion (25, 50, 75 and 100 g/kg levels of EDLEPO) in the buffered sheep’s rumen. Result: Increased levels of EDLEPO inclusion reduced rumen ammonia-N concentration (P less than 0.05) by a linear response. Hence, increased levels of EDLEPO inclusion increased rumen degradability rates expressed as IVDMD and IVOMD up to 12% and 9%, respectively, by a linear response (P less than 0.05). No significant differences were found between treatments on pH value, VFAs and total gas production. However, the increased levels of EDLEPO inclusion reduced CH4 concentration expressed as CH4/IVDMD and CH4/IVOMD up to 9% and 17% (P less than 0.05). It can be concluded that the EDLEPO inclusion in the diet increased in vitro rumen degradability rates with no negative effects on the rumen fermentation profile.

Tales unraveled through threads: Exploring the influence of natural dyes on the carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios of wool fibers from historical rugs

EA-IRMS has been used to find isotope ratio patterns as a way of ascertaining the provenance of materials in several fields of science. In this work, EA-IRMS analysis of δ13C and δ15N was used to study historical rugs’ raw materials. The influence of chromophores in the isotope ratio of wool was studied by dyeing contemporary wool with traditional dyestuff and analyzing it by EA-IRMS. Additionally, aiming towards provenance determination, historical rugs’ samples were analyzed. In general, δ13C and δ15N of contemporary dyed wool showed no significant difference between samples (P > 0.05) which rebutted the hypothesis that chromophore isotope ratios influence those of wool. Furthermore, δ13C and δ15N of both contemporary and historical wool samples were indicative of sheep diets comprised exclusively of C3 unfertilized plants. Exception was made for one rug whose δ15N values were compatible with organically fertilized plants. Particularly, δ13C and δ15N ratios of historical samples showed significant inter-rugs differences (P < 0.05) which could evidence meteorological changes over the years. Intra-rug differences detected in only one of the three rugs studied could be linked to changes in sheep diet and pastures management practices due to drought conditions. In sum, this work's results showed that is possible to use EA-IRMS analysis of δ13C and δ15N to study dyed wool without chromophore interference.

Forage cactus as an additive in corn without the cob silages of feedlot sheep diets.

This study aimed to assess the impact of adding forage cactus as an additive to the production of corn silage without the cob on the performance of feedlot sheep and subsequent silage losses. The experimental design was completely randomized, consisting of three treatments: corn silage without cob; 0% = 100% corn plant without the cob; 10% = 90% corn plant without cob + 10% forage cactus; 20% = 80% corn plant without cob + 20% forage cactus. Significant effects were observed for dry matter intake (P = 0.0201), organic matter (P = 0.0152), ether extract (P = 0.0001), non-fiber carbohydrates (P = 0.0007). Notably, nutrient digestibility showed significant differences in organic matter (P = 0.0187), ether extract (P = 0.0095), neutral detergent fiber (P = 0.0005), non-fiber carbohydrates (P = 0.0001), and metabolizable energy (P = 0.0001). Performance variables, including total weight gain (P = 0.0148), average daily weight gain (P = 0.0148), feeding efficiency, and rumination efficiency of dry matter (P = 0.0113), also exhibited significant effects. Consequently, it is recommended to include 20% forage cactus in corn silage, which, based on natural matter, helps meet animals' water needs through feed. This inclusion is especially vital in semi-arid regions and aids in reducing silage losses during post-opening silo disposal.

SUMMER DIET OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS IN THE BLACK LANDS OF KALMYKI

Field material for assessing the diet of grazed domestic animals was collected in the summer season of 2020 on the territory of the Black Lands (the southern part of the Caspian lowland within the borders of the Republic of Kalmykia). The research area belongs to the northern subzone of the desert zone (Zones and Zones…, 1999). Data on the composition of forage plants in the diet of jointly grazed sheep, cows and horses were obtained using the method of microhistological cuticular analysis of excrement. This method is used for the first time to assess the diet of sheep, cows and horses in the study area. 25 plant species were identified in the summer diet of grazed animals, of which 21 species were noted when describing vegetation in the key area. It was revealed that the diet of grazed domestic animal species differs in the ratio of the main forage groups of plants in it: cereals, sedges and various grasses. The share of cereals is the highest in the diet of horses (92%), and the share of various grasses prevails in the diet of sheep (35%).

Effect of detoxified castor bean meal inclusion in sugarcane ensilage on intake, digestibility, water balance, ruminal parameters, serum biochemistry, and ingestive behavior of sheep

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of including detoxified castor bean meal (DCM) in sugarcane ensilage (SCE) on nutrient metabolism, water balance, ruminal parameters and serum biochemistry of sheep. We used five intact male Santa Inês sheep, with 31.02 ± 2.71 kg, housed in metabolic cages receiving treatment diets with 0 (control), 5, 10, 15, and 20 % as fed DCM in SCE. The animals were evaluated for 85 days, divided into five experimental periods. The intake of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent insoluble fibre (NDF) and non-fibrous carbohydrates (NFC) increased (P<0.05), while the apparent digestibility of DM, CP, and NDF decreased (P<0.05) with the inclusion of DCM in the SCE. Ruminal ammonia nitrogen decreased (P<0.05) while serum glucose and magnesium increased (P<0.05) with DCM inclusion in the SCE. Including DCM in the SCE did not influence (P>0.05) water balance. The intake and rumination efficiencies increased (P<0.05) with the inclusion of DCM in the SCE. We recommend the inclusion of up to 20 % DCM in the SCE for use in the diet of sheep.

Effects of dietary forage neutral detergent fiber and rumen degradable starch ratios on chewing activity, ruminal fermentation, ruminal microbes and nutrient digestibility of Hu sheep fed a pelleted total mixed ration.

Pelleted total mixed ration (P-TMR) feeding, which has become a common practice in providing nutrition for fattening sheep, requires careful consideration of the balance between forage neutral detergent fiber (FNDF) and rumen degradable starch (RDS) to maintain proper rumen functions. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of the dietary FNDF/RDS ratio (FRR) on chewing activity, ruminal fermentation, ruminal microbes, and nutrient digestibility in Hu sheep fed a P-TMR diet. This study utilized eight ruminally cannulated male Hu sheep, following a 4 × 4 Latin square design with 31 d each period. Diets consisted of four FRR levels: 1.0 (high FNDF/RDS ratio, HFRR), 0.8 (middle high FNDF/RDS ratio, MHFRR), 0.6 (middle low FNDF/RDS ratio, MLFRR), and 0.4 (low FNDF/RDS ratio, LFRR). Reducing the dietary FRR levels resulted in a linear decrease in ruminal minimum pH and mean pH, while linearly increasing the duration and area of pH below 5.8 and 5.6, as well as the acidosis index. Sheep in the HFRR and MHFRR groups did not experience subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA), whereas sheep in another two groups did. The concentration of total volatile fatty acid and the molar ratios of propionate and valerate, as well as the concentrate of lactate in the rumen linearly increased with reducing dietary FRR, while the molar ratio of acetate and acetate to propionate ratio linearly decreased. The degradability of NDF and ADF for alfalfa hay has a quadratic response with reducing the dietary FRR. The apparent digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent fiber linearly decreased when the dietary FRR was reduced. In addition, reducing the dietary FRR caused a linear decrease in OTUs, Chao1, and Ace index of ruminal microflora. Reducing FRR in the diet increased the percentage of reads assigned as Firmicutes, but it decreased the percentage of reads assigned as Bacteroidetes in the rumen. At genus level, the percentage of reads assigned as Prevotella, Ruminococcus, Succinivibrio, and Butyrivibrio linearly decreased when the dietary FRR was reduced. The results of this study demonstrate that the dietary FRR of 0.8 is crucial in preventing the onset of SARA and promotes an enhanced richness of ruminal microbes and also improves fiber digestibility, which is a recommended dietary FRR reference when formulating P-TMR diets for sheep.

Влияние комбикорма-стартера на откормочные и мясные показатели при раннем отъеме ягнят разных генотипов

The article presents data on fattening young sheep of different genotypes obtained as a result of crossing ewes of the North Caucasian breed with rams of meat breeds of foreign selection. The introduction into the feeding diet of young sheep of different genotypes of starter feed containing milk replacer in an amount of 5.0% of the feed weight during early weaning from ewes (at 3 months) had a positive effect on the consumption of feed nutrients: in crossbred rams of the North Caucasian genotype, meatwool × Ile-de-France (SK × IDF) dry matter ingestion was higher than that of peers of purebred North Caucasian animals (NC) by 0.03 kg, crossbreds of North Caucasian × Charolais (SK × Sh) by 0.06 kg or 8.4 and 18.4%, respectively, for metabolic energy - 8.2 and 17.9%, for crude protein - 8.1 and 17.6%. A positive effect of the use of starter feed in the diet on the growth rate of young sheep killed at an early age was revealed. The absolute and average daily increases in live weight were highest at the age of 5.5 months in crosses of the SK × IDF genotype than in analogues of purebred SK and SK × Sh crosses by 6.1 and 8.3% and 5.9 and 8.5%. The results of the control slaughter showed that in terms of slaughter weight, rams of the SK × IF genotype were superior to peers of purebred SK and SK × Sh crosses by 6.4 and 7.3%, in meat-pulp weight by 11.1 and 12.1%, and meatiness coefficient by - 0. 40 and 0.43 abs. units.

Эффективность применения защищенной формы метионина в рационах молодняка овец

The effectiveness of using the developed protected form of betaine in the diets of young sheep of the Romanov breed was studied and the effect on biochemical and clinical blood parameters, resistance, and productive qualities was established.

Показатели белкового обмена у жвачных животных при кормлении отходами соевого производства

The article presents the results of a zootechnical analysis of soybean waste (straw and forage waste), used as the main diet for sheep during the active feeding period. It was concluded on the basis of clinical and biochemical parameters of blood that there was an increase in the level of protein metabolism in experimental animals.

Inclusion of chia seeds (Salvia hispanica L.) and pumpkin seeds (Cucurbita moschata) in dairy sheep diets.

Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) seed (CS) and Pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) seed (PS) are used in ruminant diets as energy sources. The current experiment studied the impact of dietary inclusion of CS and PS on nutrient intake and digestibility, milk yield, and milk composition of dairy sheep. Twelve primiparous Texel × Suffolk ewes [70 ± 5 days in milk (DIM); 0.320 ± 0.029 kg milk yield] were distributed in a 4 × 3 Latin square design and fed either a butter-based control diet [CON; 13 g/kg dry matter] or two diets with 61 g/kg DM of either CS or PS. Dietary inclusion of CS and PS did not alter live weight (p >0.1) and DM intake (p >0.1). However, compared to the CON, dietary inclusion of both CS and PS increased the digestibility of neutral detergent fiber (p <0.001) and acid detergent lignin (p < 0.001). Milk production (p = 0.001), fat-corrected milk (p < 0.001), and feed efficiency (p < 0.001) were enhanced with PS, while the highest milk protein yield (p < 0.05) and lactose yield (p < 0.001) were for CS-fed ewes. Compared to the CON diet, the ingestion of either CS and/or PS decreased (p < 0.001) the C16:0 in milk. Moreover, both CS and PS tended to enhance the content of C18:3n6 (p > 0.05) and C18:3n3 (p > 0.05). Overall short-term feeding of CS and/or PS (up to 6.1% DM of diet) not only maintains the production performance and digestibility of nutrients but also positively modifies the milk FA composition.

Substituting ryegrass-based pasture with graded levels of forage rape in the diet of lambs reduced post-feeding variation in methane emissions

The temporal profile of methane (CH4) emissions from ruminants is affected by feed composition and forage type. This study aimed to 1) describe and compare the post-feeding pattern of CH4 emissions from lambs fed fresh ryegrass substituted with graded levels of forage rape, and 2) to evaluate the association between the magnitude of the variation in CH4 emission patterns and organic fermentation products quantified in pre- and- post- feeding rumen content samples. Methane emissions were measured at approximately 6 min intervals in respiration chambers from 70 lambs (n = 14 per treatment) fed ryegrass only (FR0) or as a proportion, 0.25 forage rape + 0.75 ryegrass (FR25), 0.50 forage rape + 0.50 ryegrass (FR50), 0.75 forage rape + 0.25 ryegrass (FR75), and forage rape only (FR100). The magnitude of the variability in CH4 emissions was defined as the ratio of maximum to minimum CH4 emissions in a 24 h period. This ratio was correlated (P < 0.05) with the proportions of major short chain fatty acids, and calculated hydrogen (H2) available per unit of glucose fermented (H2/GEF), quantified in rumen content samples collected pre- and- post- feeding. The CH4 emission profile after each feeding followed an asymmetrical positively skewed shape for FR0 to FR75, but not in lambs fed FR100. The lowest CH4 emission rates were observed before morning feeding which was followed by a CH4 peak within the 2 h after feeding, and then the CH4 emissions decreased until the next feeding. In FR100 lambs, the CH4 emission rate was, unexpectedly, relatively constant after feeding, without any clear CH4 peaks. The magnitude of the variability in the CH4 emission rate increased when the pH of rumen contents and H2/GEF measured in pre-feeding samples decreased. Including forage rape at 0.75, or greater proportion, in the diet of lambs drastically changed the CH4 emissions pattern, likely due to a continuous low pH in the rumen which is detrimental for methanogenesis. In conclusion, the daily variation in CH4 emissions decreased with increasing forage rape inclusion in the diet of sheep and this was associated with a decreasing acetate proportion in the rumen liquid.

Lipid supplementation with macadamia by-product reduces methane emissions by sheep

Macadamia cake (MC) is a waste product from the macadamia nut industry with high nutritional value for animal nutrition. It has the potential to modify rumen fermentation, increase the efficiency of rumen microorganisms, and reduce methanogenesis. This study aimed to evaluate how the dietary lipid supplementation with MC modulates the methane (CH4) emission and nutrients digestibility of finishing lambs. Thirty-one lambs, approximately 90 days old and mean initial body weight of 26 ± 3.4 kg, were allocated to individual metabolic cages and subjected to in vivo digestibility assays for 24 days (17 days of adaption and 7 days of data collection). The four treatments included a Control group with no MC addition, and three groups with varying amounts of MC inclusion in the diet: 4.5%, 8.5%, and 14% on a dry matter basis. The ruminal content was collected individually at the last day of the digestibility assay 2 to 3 h after the morning feed, to measure pH, protozoan count, and short-chain fatty acids. The animals were then moved to semi-open respirometry chambers for the in vivo measurement of CH4 emission. A completely randomized design was used in the study assuming MC intake (MCI) as fixed effect and each animal as random effect. The variables were submitted to tests of normality and homoscedasticity. The data was submitted to analysis of variance at a 5% significance level using the F test (P < 0.05) and polynomial regression analysis. Pearson’s correlation coefficient test was also applied to all variables. Daily dry matter intake or apparent total tract digestibility parameters were not affected by MCI (P > 0.05), while ether extract and gross energy intake showed the widest range of values, from 0.01 to 0.09 (kg/day) and 9.3 to 22.5 (MJ/day), respectively, increasing (P > 0.05) according to MCI. In addition, total digestible nutrients increased linearly with MC supplementation (P = 0.037). MCI had a significant suppressive effect on enteric CH4 production from 21.9 to 8.6 (L/day) (P < 0.05) and protozoan count (P < 0.001) from 291875 to 69500 (n/mL), while a cubic (P = 0.03) and linear (P = 0.05) effect was observed for ammonia nitrogen and butyric acid, respectively. Macadamia cake may be used as an ingredient in sheep diets and its inclusion up to 14% has shown promise in reducing daily emissions of enteric CH4 without compromising nutrient digestibility and ruminal fermentation, in addition to contributing to reducing the environmental impact by avoiding the disposal of this industrial by-product.

Feed intake, microbial adherence and fibrolytic activity in residues of forage samples incubated in the rumen of sheep fed grass forages and/or a total mixed ration

Three male sheep were fed, throughout three experimental periods, with either only forage, only total mixed ration (TMR) or a mixed diet (TMR + forage). The rich-fibre ingredients of each diet were incubated daily in situ for three days and the ruminal pH was measured every 2 h during the last day of each experimental period. Rumen pH decreased at increased proportion of TMR in diet (P &lt; 0.05). The dry matter (DM) degradability of the grass forage was higher (P &lt; 0.05) in animals receiving only forage than in those receiving the mixed diet whereas the DM degradability of the corn silage was higher (P &lt; 0.05) in animals receiving the mixed diet than in those receiving only TMR. The level of microbial adherence in residues of grass forage was higher (P &lt; 0.05) in animals fed with only forage than in those fed with the mixed diet and, the level of microbial adherence in residue of corn silage was higher (P &lt; 0.05) in animals receiving the mixed diet than in those receiving TMR. The carboxymethylcellulase activity in residues of grass forage was higher (P &lt; 0.05) in sheep fed the mixed diet whereas not significant effect of diet type was observed for this variable in residues of corn silage. In conclusion, increased inclusion of TMR in sheep diet showed a negative impact on microbial adherence and forage degradability in situ, an effect mediated by changes in rumen pH which was not compensated by increased fibrolytic activity.

English

The current experiment aimed to determine the effects of the growing site on the chemical composition and fermentation parameters of carob pods. Carob pods from ten different trees were hand harvested from seven different growing sites namely; Silifke, Akdeniz, Tarsus, Aydincik, Taşucu, Toroslar and Gülnar in Mersin, Turkey in 2019 and oven dried at 50°C for three days. After drying, the carob pods were ground through a 1 mm-wide sieve for analysis and in vitro gas production (GP) testing. The growing site had a significant effect on the chemical composition, GP, and digestion values of carob pods. The crude ash (CA), crude protein (CP), ether extracts (EE), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and condensed tannin (CT) contents of carob pods ranged from 2.49 to 3.51%, 5.58 to 9.14%, 2.88 to 3.38%, 17.67 to 28.03%, 11.17 to 17.94%, and 1.98 to 5.05%, respectively. The GP, methane (CH4 (mL), percentage of CH4, metabolizable energy (ME), and organic matter digestibility (OMD) ranged from 95.66 to 123.0 mL g-1 DM, 16.23 to 20.12 mL g-1 DM, 15.69 to 16.96%, 8.24 to 9.72 MJ kg-1 DM, and 54.53 to 63.40%, respectively. The GP, CH4 production, and ME contents of carob pods obtained from Silifke, Akdeniz, Tarsus, and Tasucu were significantly higher than those from the other growing sites, whereas the OMD of carob pods from Silifke and Tarsus was significantly higher than that from the other sites. The true digestible substrate (TDS), microbial protein yield (MPY), efficiency of microbial protein yield (EMPY), and true substrate digestibility (TSD) of carob pods ranged from 319.54 to 469.62 mg, 109.07 to 207.09 mg, 32.34 to 44.10%, and 68.43 to 96.11%, respectively. The TDS, MPY, EMPY, and TSD of carob pods from Tasucu were significantly higher than those from the other sites. The current study revealed valuable insight regarding the chemical composition and fermentation parameters of carob pods grown at different sites. Carop pods can be used in sheep diets to meet the energy requirement of mature sheep for maintenance and lactation whereas protein supplementation is essential when incorporating carob pods into the diets of lactating sheep to fulfill their dietary requirements.

Carcass characteristics and economic analysis of supplementing powdered coffee leaves to indigenous Wolaita highland sheep diets based on hay

Carcass characteristics and economic analysis of supplementing powdered coffee leaves to indigenous Wolaita highland sheep diets based on hay

PSII-17 Sheep Foraging Relative to Stock Density, Time of Day, and Sheep Type in a Poisonous Plant Context

Abstract Plains larkspur (Delphinium geyeri) is a poisonous plant species that can be highly toxic at certain growth stages on western Great Plains rangelands. Targeted sheep grazing has been proposed as a mitigation strategy to reduce larkspur abundance and poisoning risk for cattle due to their greater toxicological resilience to the diterpenoid alkaloids. We incorporated targeted-sheep grazing in a northern mixed-grass prairie with our objective to determine the influence of stocking density, time of day, and sheep type on foraging behavior. During May 2022, Dorper (&amp;lt; 1-year-old lambs, n = 123, BW 25 kg ± 0.4; and 3 to 6-year-old ewes, n = 14, BW 47 kg ± 1.8) and Rambouillet (3 to 6-year-old ewes, n = 13, BW 76 kg ± 2.9) sheep were used in three stocking density treatments 1) 120 AU/day (1 day in a 0.25 ha paddock), 2) 60 AU/day (2 days in a 0.5 ha paddock), and 3) 40 AU/day (1 day in a 0.75 ha paddock) that were replicated four times. Sheep were housed overnight in a common area. We observed bite counts daily for nine randomly chosen sheep (three from each category) over five-minute intervals, in the morning and afternoon. We used a generalized linear model to assess the fixed effects of sheep type (Rambouillet ewe vs. Dorper ewe; Dorper ewe vs. Dorper lamb) and stock density on bite counts. Least squared means were analyzed for stock density using Tukey test, and for breed and age using student’s T test. We observed contrasts between morning and afternoon sheep foraging and diet selection. Mechanistically, this is likely due to the introduction of sheep into a new paddock in the morning after confinement and satiation diluting differences in the afternoon. Sheep breed influenced the proportion of graminoids consumed (96.9% Rambouillet vs 99.3% Dorper, P = 0.02), but differences were not observed between Dorper ewes and lambs (P = 0.57). The proportion of forb bite counts did not differ between Dorper ewes and lambs (0.6% vs. 0.4%, respectively, P = 0.6), nor between the Dorper ewes and Rambouillet ewes, despite the latter having a 3.5-fold greater selectivity (2.1%, P = 0.08). Larkspur consumption was no different between Dorper ewes and lambs (0.04% ewes vs. 0.01% lambs, P = 0.48), nor between Dorper ewes and Rambouillet ewes (0.28%, P = 0.09). Stock density influenced forb consumption; the proportion of forb bite counts were 12 times greater in the 0.5 ha paddock (3%) compared with the 0.25 ha paddock (0.3%, P = 0.005). Despite all consuming &amp;gt; 95% grass in the diet, results indicate that Rambouillet sheep trended towards greater selectivity than Dorper sheep, and greater selectivity in light to moderate stock densities may increase the proportion of larkspur in sheep diets.