Soybean Oil Meal Research Articles

PSIII-22 Substituting Palm Oil By Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Rich Oils Reduces Methane Emissions at a Different Degree Depending on Concentrate Formula of Dairy Beef Calves: in Vitro Screening

Abstract In dairy beef calves fed high-concentrate diets even methane emissions may be lesser than calves fed high-roughage diets there is still room to improvement. Substituting palm oil, an ingredient that is questioned by the impact on deforestation of some regions, by polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) may be a good strategy that needs to be tested. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the rumen in vitro methane gas production by substituting palm oil by different oils rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids in two different concentrates in T1 the main protein source was SBM (8%) and in T2 the main protein source was corn DDG (15%); the remaining concentrate ingredients were 50% corn, 15 to 13% barley, 15 to 16% wheat middlings, beet pulp (5.5% in T1), 1.8% calcium carbonate, 0.5% salt, 0.2% premix. Palm oil was substituted (4 or 3.5 % in T1 or T2, respectively) by canola oil (CO), sunflower oil (SU) or soybean meal oil (SO), so 8 treatments were tested (T1, T1-CO, T1-SU, T1-SO, T2, T2-CO, T2-SU, T2-SO), which are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids in two. Samples were 1-mm grinded at 1-mm and used in an in vitro digestibility assay as described by [Goeser and Combs (2009)]. The rumen liquid, obtained from rumens at slaughterhouse of beef animals fed high-concentrate diets with a close formula to T1 and T2, was strained through a cheesecloth, collected into pre-warmed thermal flasks, and kept at 39ºC until being used. Two incubation sets were done in parallel and in triplicate: one lasted 48 hours to calculate the DM digestibility; the second lasted 12 days to monitor the methane gas production. A tendency (P = 0.10) in the interaction among basal diet and oil source was observed in total methane production corrected by blank methane production; numerically the same trend (P = 0.14) was observed in net volume of CH4 per degraded DM. After 12 days, the least methane production values were observed in T1-SO and T2-CO (30 and 29 mL ± 4.6, respectively), while the largest methane values were observed in T1-SU (45 ± 4.6 mL) being the remaining treatments intermediate values (42, 39, 31, 38, 41 ± 4.6 mL for T1, T1-CO, T2, T2-SU, T2-SO, respectively). In conclusion, depending on the concentrate formula (protein source used) the effect of fat source used to substitute palm oil and reduce methane emission may differ.

Effect of Liquid to Solid Ratio in Rumen Content on Feedstuffs’ in Vitro Fermentability and Digestibility

The amount of fibrous feed consumed by tropical cattle has an impact on the rumen’s liquid-to-solid ratio and feed passage rate. Feed fermentability and digestibility are influenced by ratio. Several in vitro procedures use varying liquid-to-solid ratios, which may or may not be applicable to the local situation. The purpose of this study is to compare the local cow rumen conditions with the liquid-to-solid ratio employed in the in vitro investigation. There were two experiments done for the study. First, the liquid-to-solid ratios in various in vitro experiments (Tilley and Terry = T1, Theodorou = T2, and Sutardi = T3) were compared to the circumstances in the rumen of local cattle (T0). Second, it was determined whether the various liquid-to-solid ratios used in various in vitro techniques were similar in terms of the feedstuffs’ fermentability (pH, NH3, VFA), digestibility (DMD and OMD), and fermentability (DMD and OMD) (F1 = Napier grass, F2 = maize, and F3 = soybean oil meal). The first experiment was fully utilized, and a 3 x 3 block factorial randomized design was used (second experiment). The liquid-to-solid ratio of T3 (1: 40) was discovered to be more comparable to the rumen state of nearby cattle (1:46). Different in vitro techniques had no discernible impact on pH, VFA, DMD, or OMD, but T3 produced more NH3 than T1 or T2 did. With F3 higher than F2 or F1, the major effects of fermentability and digestibility were discovered inside the feed. It is found that every feed studied produced higher NH3 concentrations thanks to the Sutardi method’s liquid-to-solid ratio, which is more akin to the rumen of local cattle. As a result, it is advised to evaluate feedstuff fermentability and digestibility for local cattle using the Sutardi method.

Application of the Artificial Neural Network to Predict the Bending Strength of the Engineered Laminated Wood Produced Using the Hydrolyzed Soy Protein-Melamine Urea Formaldehyde Copolymer Adhesive

The artificial neural network (ANN) was used to predict the modulus of rupture (MOR) of the laminated wood products adhered by melamine/urea formaldehyde (MUF) resin with different formaldehyde to melamine/urea molar ratios combined with different weight ratios of the protein adhesive resulting from the alkaline treatment (NaOH) of the soybean oil meal to MUF resin pressed at different temperatures according to the central composite design (CCD). After making the boards and performing the mechanical test to measure the MOR, based on experimental data, different statistics such as determination coefficient (R2), root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE) and sum of squares error (SSE) were determined, and then the suitable algorithm was selected to determine the estimated values. After comparing estimated values with the experimental values, the direct and interactive effects of the independent variables on MOR were determined. The results indicated that using suitable algorithms to train the ANN well, a very good estimate of the bending strength of the laminated wood products can be offered with the least error. In addition, based on the estimated and measured strengths and FTIR and TGA diagnostic analyses, it was found that the replacement of the MUF resin by the protein bio-based adhesive when using low F to M/U molar ratios, the MOR is maximized if a high range of temperature is used during the press.

Impact of Inoculant Sources on Feed in Vitro Fermentability and Digestibility

The aim of this research is to compare alternative inoculant source for in vitro rumen fermentation. In the first experiment, inoculant from fistulated cattle kept in LIPI and IPB (Fis1 and Fis2) and inoculant from Bogor municipality abattoir and IPB abattoir (Abo1 and Abo2) were tested for their pH, total bacterial count, and protozoal number using a complete block design with four replications. In the second experiment, the effect of the inoculant sources was tested on cornmeal (F1), soybean oil meal (F2), Napier grass (F3), and dairy cattle complete ration (F4) fermentability and digestibility including pH, VFA, NH3, IVDMD and IVOMD parameters. The results showed an unsignificant different protozoal number among inoculant sources. The pH of Fis2 rumen liquor was significantly lower (p<0.05) than others. The bacterial population was significantly higher (p<0.05) in Fis2 and Abo2 than Abo1, and Fis1. The inoculant pH after feed fermentability was not influenced by feed type but inoculant source with Fis1 was significantly higher (p<0.05) than Fis2, Abo2, and Abo1. The ammonia, VFA concentration, IVDMD, and IVOMD were influenced by interaction between inoculant sources and feed types. Although inoculant from cattle close to the laboratory (Fis2 and Abo2) were better in term of higher bacterial population, higher fermentability and digestibility for most type of feeds but other sources can be used in vitro study without differences in average fermentability and digestibility results.
 Key words: abattoir, fermentability, fistula, inoculant, in vitro

Vertical Price Transmission in Soybean, Soybean Oil, and Soybean Meal Markets

Soybean is becoming a prominent agricultural industry due to its versatility of use as inputs for different industrial sectors. Soybean products have a high value and are profitable since its huge supply and wide demand. The soybean economic value does belong to the commercial use of its joint products, soybean meal, and soybean oil. Joint product theory assumes the price of soybeans can be represented as a weighted average of returns from soybean meal and soybean oil less than the processing margin. This indicates there are price relationships between soybean as a raw product towards its meal and oil through crush processing. Therefore, the objective of this research is to investigate the price transmission between these three products and analyzed factors that influencing them. Monthly time series data in respect of international prices were obtained. Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) test and the Johansen cointegration technique were utilized to test the stationarity and the long-run relationship between three variables respectively. The result indicates the existence of one cointegrating long-run equilibrium relationship between these variables. The Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) estimates revealed that soybean price is the only one that reacts to correct equilibrium since oil and meal have huge markets. Keywords: soybean, soybean meal, soybean oil, joint product, VECM

Growth Performance and Nutrient Composition in the White-spotted Flower Chafer, Protaetia brevitarsis (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) Fed Agricultural By-product, Soybean Curd Cake

Insects are gaining recognition as an alternative source of protein. As a result, more and more domestic farms have begun mass rearing of edible insects. In order to produce high quality insects, studies on the development of safe and nutritious feed sources are needed. Given the cost of rearing insects, agricultural and industrial by-products are good sources for feed. The efficient utilization of these by-products can help in reducing the cost of production and preventing environmental pollution. In the current study, Citrus unshiu peel (CP), soybean curd cake (SCC), soybean oil meal (SOM), and brewers dried grain (BDG) were investigated for their effects on larval growth and development of Protaetia brevitarsis. Interestingly, the feed with 10% SCC increased larval weight by 3.5 times. For the larval period, the group of 10% SCC was significantly shorter than the control. Furthermore, minerals such as Zn, Ca, K, Mg, Na, and P were recorded to be high in 10% SCC. A total of 17 amino acids were present in 10% SCC, of which tyrosine and arginine were predominant. The heavy metal contents were very small amounts or not detected in any of the investigated groups. These findings provided a scientific basis for the utilization of soybean curd cake as a nutritional feed source to promote larval growth and produce quality insects.

Influence of humic acid supplemented to sheep diets on rumen enzymatic activity

The objective of the present study was to investigate how different levels of natural humic acid in the diet affect the hydrolases activity in the rumen of sheep. The experiment was carried out on three rumen-fistulated adult sheep. The control animals were fed a diet (K) containing 59.7% meadow hay, 28.4% crushed barley, 9.8% soybean oil meal and 2.1% vitamin mineral mixture. The experimental diets were composed of the control ration supplemented with humic acid (HUMAC natur AFM® containing 65% humic acid in dry matter) and supplied at doses of 10 g · d–1 (diet H10) or 20 g · d–1 (diet H20). Samples of rumen digesta were collected just before the morning feeding, as well as 2, 4, and 8 h afterwards. In the present study, the cellulolytic activity in the rumen digesta was higher (P < 0.01) in sheep fed the K diet than it was in animals fed the H20 ration 2 h after feeding. However, the effect of humic acid on the cellulose degradation rate depended on the content of humic acid in the diet. The cellulolytic activity was increased 2 h after feeding in sheep fed the H10 diet as compared with animals fed the H20 ration (P < 0.05). Sampling time had significant influence on the hydrolases activity in the rumen of sheep. In sheep fed the H10 ration, the cellulolytic activity was higher 8 h after feeding than it was before feeding and 4 h after feeding (P < 0.05). In the H10 and H20 groups, the xylnalolytic activity was higher before feeding, but lower than it was in the control group K. The degradation rates of xylan were decreased 2 and 4 h after feeding in sheep fed the H10 and H20 rations and then increased 8 h after feeding (P < 0.05). In sheep fed the H20 diet, the amylolitic activity 8 h after feeding was higher than it was 2 h after feeding (P < 0.05). The effect of humic acid on the hydrolases activity in the rumen of sheep is not uniform and depends on the quantity of humic acid in the diet and on sampling time. Humic acid present in commercial HUMAC natur AFM® product enhances the initial rate of cellulose degradation in the rumen at a dose of 10 g · d-1. Thus, it may suggest that humic acid stimulates the growth of fibrolytic microorganisms in the rumen. On the other hand, the present results suggest that humic acid may reduce the rate of carbohydrate degradation in the rumen, since a higher hydrolases activity was observed before morning feeding and 8 h afterwards....

Nutritional value of yellow-seeded winter rapeseed cakes for growing pigs

Objective of the study was to compare the composition and nutritional value of a winter brown- (BRC) and three yellow-seeded (YRC) cold-pressed rapeseed cakes as the components of pigs’ diets, and to assess their effects on colonic bacterial fermentation and the relative weight of organs. In experiment 1, the standardised ileal digestibility (SID) of protein and amino acids (AA) of cakes was determined in 12 male cannulated pigs. Each diet was fed to six pigs during three seven-day periods. Ileal digesta was collected during the last three days of the period. In experiment 2, five groups each containing six female pigs with initial body weights (BW) of 20 kg were fed on diets containing BRC, YRC, or soyabean oil meal (SBM) as the main protein source. The apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nutrients and growth performance were measured untill 60 kg BW was reached, and short chain fatty acids (SCFA) concentrations in the colon, as well as the weight of the liver, kidney, heart, and thyroid, were recorded. The main differences between BRC and YRC were found in higher content of fat and protein, lower amounts of fibre and glucosinolates (Gls), and higher ATTD of fibre in YRC. Protein and AA SID, ATTD of nutrients, total SCFA colonic concentration, and growth performance did not significantly differ. The chemical composition of the three YRC was not uniform, the greatest differences were found among the amounts of Gls. The relative weights of the thyroid and heart were greater in pigs fed BRC than in YRC and SBM diets. Thyroid weight was positively correlated with dietary progoitrin, alkenyl Gls, and total Gls, whereas heart weight was positively correlated with progoitrin and alkenyl Gls. It was concluded that winter yellow-seeded rapeseed is a better raw material for cold-pressing than brown-seeded due to having lower Gls and fibre content.

Soybeans, soybean oil, and soybean meal

Soybeans, soybean oil, and soybean meal

Soybeans, soybean oil and soybean meal

Soybeans, soybean oil and soybean meal

Effects of different amounts of field peas (Pissum sativum L.) in the diets for turkeys on meat qualities

A study was carried out to determine the efficiency of soybean oil meal replacement with increasing amount of peas (from 10% to 40%) in the diets for turkeys on anatomic carcass dissection and chemical indicators of breast, shoulder, thigh and shin muscles, physical indicators of breast muscles and the content of tryptophan and oxyprolin. The anatomic dissection of carcasses indicated that male turkeys fed peas had from 0.28% to 0.61% (P > 0.05–P < 0.05) less shoulder muscles, whereas female turkeys of the same groups had from 0.09 to 0.31% (P > 0.05–P < 0.05) more abdominal fat compared with the turkeys the diets of which did not contain any peas. The chemical analysis of meat showed that feeding the diets with the increasing amount of peas resulted in 0.69–0.82% lower amount of fat in female shoulder muscle (P > 0.05–P < 0.05). Soybean oil meal replacement with field peas in broiler turkey diets had no significant influence on the other anatomic indicators of the carcass and the other physicochemical indicators of meat as well as the content of trypthophan and oxyprolin in the muscles. Our study indicated that soybean oil meal replacement with peas up to 20% from 0 to 4 weeks, 25% from 5 to 8 weeks, 30% from 9 to 12 weeks and 40% from 13 to 16 weeks, and with 100% soybean oil meal replacement at the final stage had no negative influence on the carcass qualities of broiler turkeys.

Metarhizium taii var. chongqingensis Nov., Anamorph of Cordyceps chongqingensis sp. Nov. Isolated from a Low Altitude Area in Chongqing, China

Previously, a new Cordyceps species was isolated from a low altitude area in Chongqing, China, and named Cordyceps chongqingensis sp. nov. In this study, its anamorph was isolated and designated CQM1T. It grew optimally on Czapek medium supplied with 0.5% silkworm flour and 0.5% soybean oil meal at 25 degrees C, pH 5.0-5.5. The phenotypic and molecular characteristics were investigated for its identification and typing. Morphological observations under a microscope revealed that this anamorph of Cordyceps chongqingensis sp. nov. was a new species of Metarhizium. Moreover, it was identified as one of the variants of Metarhizium taii based on sequences of 26S rDNA D1/D2 and ITS regions, and thus named Metarhizium taii var. chongqingensis nov.

Research regarding the use of thermicaly treated soya seeds in nourishing the broiler chicken.

The research has taken place at the Biobase of the Animal Science Faculty of Iasi. In order to achieve the desired goal there have been formed three lots of 50 chickens each, two experimental lots (LE1 and LE2) and a control lot (LM). The chickens in the control lot were fed mixed feed specific for each growth period with soybean oil meal, and the chickens in the experimental lots received in their meal full thermal untreated soybean - for LE1 and full fat soybean for LE2. The use of full fat soybeans in the broiler chickens nourishment has had a good impact on both the speed of growth and the gain in weight, thus determining a weight 4.09 - 7.01% greater in the LE2 lot compared to the LM and LE1 lots. The specific nourishment consumption has been in correlation with the gain in weight, thus in the LE1 lot there was a specific consumption 9.37% higher than the LM lot, and the LE2 lot had a specific consumption 3.64 lower than the same lot.

SUBSTITUIÇÃO DO FARELO DE SOJA TOSTADO PELA CASEÍNA NA ALIMENTAÇÃO DE FRANGOS

The present study was conducted at Departamento de Zootecnia da Escola de Agronomia e Veterinaria da Universidade Federal de Goias, in Goiânia, Goias, Brazil. In this experiment, involving 100 broilers (New Hampshire x White Leghorn), soybean oil meal protein was replaced by casein protein in five levels - 33.5%, 50.0%, 67.0%, and 100% (See Table I). This preliminary note presents the results of weight gain of broilers four weeks old (See Table III).

Modeling and simulation of the soybean oil meal desolventizing–toasting process

The desolventizer–toaster (DT) is an important plant equipment in the processing of soybean oil meal, its main purpose being the separation of hexane from the soybean oil meal. The DT must recover as much hexane as possible and produce a good nutritional quality meal with low energy consumption. The aim of this study is to develop a mathematical model for the DT to be used for optimization of operational conditions. The DT was modeled as a column with stages. For each stage complete mass and energy balances were considered, as well as thermodynamic equilibrium between the liquid and vapor phases. The equilibrium data were obtained from operational data of an actual plant. To check the suitability of the proposed model the behavior of the DT under different operating conditions was investigated: influence of hexane concentration of the cake on the meal moisture and the live steam consumption; the influence of the cake inlet temperature on live steam consumption; and the influence of the hexane content of the cake on the indirect steam consumption.

Effect of dehulling of rapeseed on feed value and nutrient digestibility of rape products in pigs

In the presented study the influence of dehulling rapeseed on the composition of rapeseed meal (RM) and rapeseed cake (RC) and on its feed value for piglets and growing-finishing pigs was investigated. Before withdrawal of oil, rapeseed (variety Express) was dehulled applying a procedure developed by SKET GmbH Magdeburg and the Section Food-Technology of the University Essen. The steps of the dehulling procedure were described. For RM the oil was removed by the prepress-solvent procedure till a crude fat content of 2.1% in DM. RC was produced by pressing only resulting approximately 13% crude fat in DM. The RM and RC from not dehulled (ND) and dehulled (D) rapeseed were examined analytically. Crude nutrients, sugar and fibre substances, amino acids, some minerals and trace elements, fatty acids, glucosinolates and sinapine, and phytate were determined. By dehulling the seed the crude fibre content was decreased in RM and RC by approximately 40%. The ADF content declined by 35 and 39%, and the NDF content by 28% and 40% in RM and RC, respectively. The decrease in ADL content amounted to 50% and 65% for RM and RC, respectively. On the other hand, the CP content of RM and RC was increased by 7% and 13%, respectively, by dehulling the seed while the amino acid content of rape protein increased only slightly. The contents of glucosinolates and sinapine were also increased by dehulling, while the contents of phytate and phytate P were decreased. In digestibility and balance experiments with piglets and intact hybrid breeds of growing-finishing pigs, the digestibility of organic matter and of crude nutrients and the contents of digestible energy and metabolizable energy were estimated. Furthermore, the precaecal digestibility of crude nutrients and amino acids was determined with fistulated mini-pigs. By dehulling the seeds the digestibility of organic matter from RM and RC was improved in piglets and adult pigs by approximately 10%, and the ME contents increased by 13 – 15%. The precaecal digestibility of the sum of amino acids was increased by approximately 3 and 6 units in RM and RC, respectively. The precaecal digestibility of lysine in RM and RC reached that of soybean oil meal from not dehulled beans.

The influence of various leguminous seed diets on carcass and meat quality of fattening pigs

Two trials were designed to determine the quality of pig carcasses, chemical composition and physical indicators of meat and fatty acid composition of backfat. Growing pigs were offered adequate diets containing field beans (20&amp;ndash;25%), sweet lupines (15&amp;ndash;20%) or extruded soybeans (18&amp;ndash;15.4%) instead of soybean or sunflower oil meal (control). The weight and length of the carcass, dressing percentage, weight of ham, chemical composition and physical indicators of meat of pigs fed diets with different leguminous seeds did not differ significantly from those of pigs fed the control diet. Pigs fed diets containing field beans had 5.7&amp;ndash;8.2 mm lower backfat thickness, while pigs fed extruded soybeans had 6.6&amp;ndash;7.9% smaller loin lean area and 4.57% lower content of oleic acid in the backfat, but the content of linoleic acid was 5.11% higher. &amp;nbsp;

Suitability of a Dehydrated Poultry Mortality-Soybean Meal Product for Use in Broiler Chicken Diets

In the poultry industry, several alternative methods for disposal of dead birds have been developed. This study evaluated the efficacy of a dehydrated poultry mortality-soybean meal (DPSM) product, made from 60% on-farm whole dead birds, 40% soybean oil meal, and a preservative amendment, for inclusion in broiler diets. Composite samples of the DPSM product were obtained for nutritional and microbiological analysis. A subsequent 42-d broiler growout experiment was conducted using DPSM incrementally (0 to 100%) substituted for the protein source component (i.e., soybean oil meal) in starter and grower diets.Nutritionally, the DPSM product was similar to soybean oil meal (SBOM), with approximately 51.5% CP, 2.81% Lys, 0.72% Met, 1.85% Thr, 3.14% Arg, and 1.36% TSAA. True amino acid digestibilities of DPSM, however, were higher than soybean oil meal. Likewise, crude fat (18.03%) and ash (8.00%) concentrations of DPSM were higher than those typically observed for SBOM. Although at low levels, 13 genera of bacteria (including some pathogenic organisms) were isolated from the DPSM product. When replacing SBOM in broiler starter and grower diets, DPSM, at lower, more practical replacement rates, did not significantly influence body weight, feed consumption, or feed conversion. According to the results of this study, using DPSM in partial substitution for SBOM in broiler diets was a safe, efficient, and economically feasible alternative for dead bird disposal.

Penggunaan Hasil Fermentasi Bungkil Kedelai Dalam Ransum Terhadap Pertumbuhan Ayam Pedaging

ABSTRACT. Tempe of soybean is fermented soybean with Rhizopus ologosporus fungus. From a result of researchers, it is the fact that tempe can increase valuable of nutrion and digest capacity and also produce antibiotic . Utilization of abtibiotic in chiken food as stimulus growth in not recommended because it can cause resistance a certain germ and it is presume there are antibiotic residu in egg and chiken meat. It is hope that the use of fermented soybean oil meal can increase nutrient value and digest capacity as well as produce antibiotic, so that it can get a better growth and over come a problem of using antibiotic in chiken food. The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of fermented soybean oil meal utilization in the ration on body weight gain, feed consumption, feed conversion and mortality. The study use 80 unsex day old chick broiler CP-707 and conducted at Poulty Laboratory Product Agriculture Faculty, Syiah Kuala University. Chiken were putting in 27 houses unit, each unit contain of four chiken. The design of experiment was Completely Randomized Design, four treatments and five replication. The treatments were ration contained 0%, 5%, 10% and 15% fermented soybean oil meal as replace the use of soybean oil meal. The protein and energy content of all dietary treatments were equally composed from six weeks investigation, were body weight gain, feed consumption, feed conversion and mortality. The result of the study indicated that up to 10% graded of fermented soybean oil meal in ration were significant difference influenced increase the body weight gain and decrease the feed conversion. The fermented soybeanoil meal) utilization more than 10% were significant difference decrease the body weight gain and increase the feed conversion. If the inclusion was increase the feed consumption would tendency decline. In this study there were no mortality in all treatment. In can be advised from this study that fermented soybean oil meal could be used in broiler ration or in all poulty ration.

Effect of complex catalytic supplementation with non-protein nitrogen on the ruminal ecosystem of growing goats pasturing on shrub land in Mexico

Thirty-eight young Alpine goats, 16.1 (±0.370) kg body weight (BW), were reared at Querétaro, Mexico, grazing on a semi-arid woody brush ( Caducifolio espinoso) range land. The experimental goats ( n = 20) were pastured daily and supplemented with 200 g/day of a complex catalytic feed (CCF). It consisted of molasses (14–18%), urea (8–10%), salt (3–4%), limestone (3–4%), cottonseed meal (13–18%), rice polishing (10–13%), corn (11–12%), poultry litter (9–10%), commercial mineral salt (1.3%), ammonium sulfate (0.3–0.5%), cement kiln dust (1.5%), and animal lard (10–15%). The control goats ( n = 18) were supplemented daily with 300 g of a balanced concentrate (BC), containing 1.5% commercial mineral salt, 60% corn, 32.5% wheat bran, and 4% soybean oil meal. Stocking rates varied from 1.45 to 1.85 AU/ha and daily stocking rate from 36.4 to 58.6 AU/ha. At all times, fibrous forages were available exceeding the voluntary dry matter intake. One fistulated goat was kept in each group. Growth of the experimental goats averaged 95 g/day (±3) compared to 76 g/day (±5) of the controls ( P < 0.005) in 150 days from June to November. Supplementation per kg BW was from 17.5 to 10.4 g BC/day for the control goats; the experimental goats received 12.2–6.5 g CCF/day. Weight gain in response to fermentable carbohydrates (FC) averaged 8.95 g BW gain/g FC/day for the control BC goats, compared to 28.2 g BW gain/g FC/day for the experimental CCF goats. Daily supplies of FC to goats on CCF supplementation were always below the limits for celullolysis at 6 g/day, while FC supplies of BC rations to the control goats always exceeded them. After 2 h of shrub land pasture, the ruminal pH rose when CCF was offered and stayed above 6.6 during 12 h, while the ruminal acidity in BC goats went down to pH 5.57 at 6 h and rose to 6.5 by 12 h. Ammonia (NH 3 mg/l) in ruminal liquid of CCF goats was higher ( P < 0.01) in average and all but one sample. Total cost per animal per day including shrub land pasture, management, medicine and salaries was US $0.06 for experimental goats and US $0.09 for controls (market price for goat meat was US $1.15/kg; US $1.00 = 10 Mexican Pesos, November 1998). Daily gain varied during the study period from 77 to 85 g/day in BC control goats compared to 92–97 g/day in experimental CCF goats. CCF supplementation to shrub land pasturing resulted in significantly greater weight gains apparently due to elevated ruminal pH, higher availability of fermentable carbohydrates and ruminal ammonia, augmenting ruminal ecosystem, digestibility and voluntary feed intake. The use of local shrub land resources and complex catalytic supplementation with non-protein nitrogen provided greater profitability from this feeding system for growing goats than the traditional balanced concentrate feed supplementation.