Effects of feeding high-concentrate diets at restricted intakes on digestibility and nitrogen metabolism in growing lambs.
In Trial 1, 12 wether lambs (34.2 +/- .8 kg BW) were used to determine the effects of restricting intake of diets increasing in percentage of concentrate, to achieve isoenergetic intakes, on digestibility and N metabolism. The trial consisted of two 14-d periods, 9 d for adaptation and 5 d for total collection of urine and feces. Treatments were 22, 39, 61, and 92% concentrate diets fed at ad libitum intake and 90, 80, and 70% of ad libitum intake, respectively. Diets were formulated to provide equal daily intakes of ME. Feeding diets increasing in proportion of concentrate at restricted intakes resulted in linear increases (P < .001) in DM, OM, ADF, and NDF digestibilities. Starch digestibility was not affected (P > .10) by intake. Apparent N digestion was improved (P < .001) with restricted feeding of diets containing greater proportions of concentrate. Nitrogen retention was increased (P < .005) for lambs receiving diets containing a greater proportion of concentrate at reduced intakes. In Trial 2, 12 wether lambs (30.6 +/- .6 kg BW) were used to determine the effects of feeding high-concentrate (92%) diets at reduced intakes on digestibility and N metabolism. Diets were fed at ad libitum intake and 90, 80, and 70% of ad libitum intake. The trial consisted of two 14-d periods, similar to Trial 1. Restricting the intake of high-concentrate diets improved (P < .001) digestibility of DM, OM, ADF, starch, and CP. Digestibility of DM, ADF, CP, and starch increased .142, .423, .497, and .046 percentage units, respectively, for each 1% reduction in DM intake.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Murphy
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Department of Animal Science, Ohio State University, Wooster 44691.
Loerch
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Smith
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D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004063:Digestion; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology*; D002149:Energy Intake; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D011897:Random Allocation; D012756:Sheep / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D013213:Starch / Q000378:metabolism
D004043:Dietary Fiber; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D013213:Starch; D009584:Nitrogen