Performance of lambs fed either hay or silage supplemented with canola or fish meals

Abstract

. 1998. Performance of lambs fed either hay or silage supplemented with canola or fish meals. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 78: 135-141. Forty-eight lambs (29.0 ± 4.7 kg BW) were used to study the effects of protein supplementation of forages on performance and diet digestibility. Lambs were fed grass hay or silage ad libitum plus a daily supplement of either: C, a control supplement supplying 1.2 g kg -1 BW of dry molasses and 0.6 g kg -1 BW of minerals, vitamins and lasalocid; CM, control supplement + 5.48 g kg -1 BW of canola meal; or FM, control supplement + 3 g kg -1 BW of fish meal. Apparent digestibility of all dietary components was higher in lambs fed silage than in those fed hay (P < 0.04). Addition of CM or FM improved apparent digestibility of energy and crude protein (CP) of lambs fed hay (P < 0.02) and CP digestibility of lambs fed silage (P < 0.01). Apparent digestibility of CP was higher in lambs fed FM than in those fed CM with either hay or silage (P < 0.03). Addition of CM or FM tended to decrease ADF digestibility of silage-based diets (P < 0.06). Apparent ADF digestibility of hay-based diets was lower in lambs fed CM than in those fed FM (P < 0.02). Forage DM intake was similar for all treatments. Addition of CM or FM to the diets improved average daily gains by 24% (P < 0.03), an effect that was higher with hay (35.1%, P < 0.02). Feed efficiency was 23.6% better in lambs fed protein-supplemented hay than in those receiving C (P < 0.04). Neither dressing percentage nor carcass lean yield was affected by protein supplementation. Digestible DM and TDN intakes were higher in lambs fed silage (P < 0.03) as a result of higher apparent digestibility for silage than hay. Furthermore, CM increased TDN intake by 7.6 and 8.2% in lambs fed hay and silage, respectively, compared with lambs fed FM. Addition of canola and fish meals improved forage nutritive value for lambs.Key words: Canola meal, fish meal, forages, digestibility, lambs, growth Agbossamey, Y. R., Petit, H. V., Seoane, J. R. et St-Laurent, G. J. 1998. Performance des agneaux nourris avec du foin ou de l'ensilage supplémenté avec du tourteau de canola ou de la farine de poisson. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 78: 135-141. Quarante-huit agneaux mâles (29,0 ± 4,7 kg poids vif) ont été utilisés afin d'étudier les effets de la supplémentation protéique des fourrages de dactyle sur les performances zootechniques et la digestibilité des rations. Les animaux ont été alimentés à volonté avec du foin ou de l'ensilage et ils ont reçu une quantité fixe de l'un des trois suppléments suivants: T, supplément témoin contenant 1,2 g kg -1 PV jour -1 de mélasse sèche et 0,6 g kg -1 PV jour -1 de minéraux, vitamines et Bovatec; TC, supplément témoin + 5,48 g kg -1 PV jour -1 de tourteau de canola; FP, supplément témoin + 3 g kg -1 PV jour -1 de farine de poisson. La digestibilité apparente de toutes les composantes de la ration a été plus élevée chez les agneaux recevant de l'ensilage que pour ceux recevant du foin (P < 0,04). L'addition des suppléments protéiques a amélioré la d...

Absorption and Distribution of Selenium in Animals Consuming Canola Grown for Selenium Phytoremediation

“…Some forage canola cultivars may contain up to 22% of digestible protein (DP), which is comparable to alfalfa. The addition of canola meal to hay or silage has been reported to the improve forage nutritive value for lambs and improve daily weight gains (Agbossamey et al, 1998). There is, to the authors' knowledge, no information regarding absorption or excretion of Se after providing animals with Se-enriched plant material that was previously used for phytoremediation of naturally occurring Se.…”