Cereal processing and food utilization by sheep 2. A note on the effect of feeding unprocessed barley, maize, oats and wheat on food utilization by early-weaned lambs

Abstract

SUMMARYAn experiment was carried out with 64 lambs to determine the digestibility and efficiency of food utilization of barley, maize, oats and wheat when they were offered whole and loose, or roughly ground and pelleted.Apparent digestibilities of the organic matter (%) for the four cereals in the order given above were 81·1, 84·3, 69·9 and 82·7 for the whole and 77·2, 82·1, 67·5 and 86·6 for the ground and pelleted grains. The corresponding live-weight gains (g/day) were 340, 345, 241 and 303, and 347, 346, 238 and 323. The corresponding conversions of dry matter (kg) to live-weight gain (kg), over the growth period from 15 to 35 kg weight, were 2·75, 2·52, 3·07 and 2·97 and 2·79, 2·62, 3·33 and 2·56.

Cereal processing and food utilization by sheep. 3. The effect of replacing whole barley by whole oats on food utilization and firmness and composition of subcutaneous fat

“…Because of anticipated differences in gut contents (0rskov, Fraser and McHattie, 1974) the lambs were slaughtered at an estimated equal empty-body weight. The live weight at slaughter was therefore different for each treatment and ranged from about 35 kg live weight for the whole-barley group to 40 kg for the group given whole oats.…”

Diet selection by growing lambs offered whole barley and a protein supplement, free choice: Effects on performance and digestion

“…Furthermore a healthy rumen is of great relevance in female lambs for replacement in view of the long-term detrimental effect of acidosis on acetate absorption (Krehbiel et al, 1995). However, the selection of ingredients observed in individual feeding trials (Ørskov et al, 1974b;Castrillo et al, 1989) and labour requirements involved in handling feed mixtures have constrained the widespread use of this feeding system in intensive programs.…”

Intake and Digestibility of Sheep-fed Alfalfa Haylage Supplemented with Corn

“…Starch also increases the supply of microbial protein to the animal, since the rumen microbial protein production is generally determined by the total intake of fermentable carbohydrates (Gomes et al, 1994). The amount of energy that the rumen organisms and the host animal may potentially obtain from starch will vary in response to the conservation method and the starch supplementation level, among others factors (Wilkerson et al, 1997;Ørskov et al, 1974).…”