title: Effects of fish meal and sodium bentonite on daily gain, wool growth, carcass characteristics, and ruminal and blood characteristics of lambs fed concentrate diets.
abstract: We evaluated the effects of replacing some soybean meal (SBM) protein with fish meal (FM) protein in diets adequate and slightly deficient in CP, with or without .75% sodium bentonite (NaB) on performance and ruminal and blood metabolites of individually fed Suffolk lambs. Diets were based on corn, SBM, and cottonseed hulls. In Exp. 1, five lambs were assigned to each of the three dietary treatments (11% CP with 3% FM, 13% CP with 0 or 3% FM). Lambs fed diets that contained 11% CP with 3% FM or 13% CP with 0% FM had similar DMI and ADG. Gain and feed efficiency were slightly improved (P = .18) by the 13% CP diet with 3% FM. In Exp. 2, 32 lambs were assigned to four dietary treatments (13.5% CP of DM) in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement (0 or 3% FM, and 0 or .75% NaB on an as-fed basis). The DMI and ADG were increased (P < .05) by FM and NaB supplementation. Interactions (P < .05) revealed that NaB increased DMI, ADG, gain per feed (g/kg of DMI), and plasma urea N concentration in the absence of FM but not in the presence of FM in the diet. Neither FM nor NaB influenced (P = .25) wool growth. Total ruminal VFA were increased (P < .06) by FM and NaB. Differences in mineral content of phalanx bone, liver, and kidney were small and may be related to the mineral content of diets and the effect of NaB on mineral solubilities. Similar DMI and ADG of lambs fed FM and NaB separately and in combination suggest that their beneficial effect is not additive.
authors.affiliation: Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge 70803, USA.
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Walz
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Fernandez
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Gentry
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Blouin
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Froetschel
authors.forename: T F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Lupton
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Chapa
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D001546:Bentonite / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D001806:Blood Urea Nitrogen; D001823:Body Composition / Q000187:drug effects; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000737:chemistry; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary*; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005396:Fish Products; D007668:Kidney / Q000737:chemistry; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000592:standards; D008903:Minerals / Q000032:analysis; D011897:Random Allocation; D012417:Rumen / Q000737:chemistry; D012756:Sheep / Q000097:blood / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects; D014935:Wool / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D008903:Minerals; D001546:Bentonite