Composition, digestibility and feed intake of Opuntia ficus indica by Ogaden sheep

First of all spineless Opuntia is an important source of water for livestock in tropical regions. The water content of one-year sprouts amounted to 92.5%. 70 to 75% of dry matter of Opuntia ficus indica were crude carbohydrates, approximately 20% were crude ash. The apparent digestibility of organic matter was considerably high (70.9%), the energy content amounts to 35 and 467 EFUc per kg of fresh and dry matter respectively. Opuntias are roughage, their energy content is similar to that of grass or legumes during flowering. The protein content is too low (4.5 to 5.5% crude protein of dry matter) in order to meet the protein requirements of animals. When they had the choice rams preferred chopped fresh Opuntia (61.6% of the whole DM intake) to chopped dried Opuntia (34.7%) and whole fresh Opuntia (3.7%) apart from a certain basal diet (200 g of meadow hay and 200 g of concentrate per animal and day). If only one of the three differently treated forms of Opuntia was fed (apart from the basal diet) the sheep consumed daily 359 g of dry matter of chopped fresh Opuntia (approximately the same amount as if they had the choice, 101%), 313 g of dry matter of chopped dried Opuntia (88%) and 121 g of dry matter of whole fresh sprouts of Opuntia (34% of the total intake when they had the choice.) According to the obtained results spineless Opuntia ficus indica can be used in chopped form as an additional feed to other roughages (like grass, hay, straw) especially during the dry season.     

Chemical composition, digestibility, and voluntary feed intake of mango residues by sheep

The chemical composition, digestibility, and voluntary feed intake by sheep of mango by-products were studied in an experiment with five dietary treatments consisting of mango peels and seed kernels, offered individually or together with urea block and a control. The mango residues were offered with rice straw and the control diet was straw only. Five groups of five male sheep of Djallonké type, 12–18 months old and weighing on average 18.6 kg were allocated randomly to the diets to assess the voluntary feed intake. Apparent digestibility of the same diets was measured using four sheep per diet. The mango residues were low in crude protein, 67 and 70 g/kg dry matter for the peels and the seed kernels, respectively. The content of neutral detergent fiber varied from 306 to 388 g/kg dry matter (DM) for the kernel and the peels, respectively. The kernel had relatively high level of fat (105 g/kg DM) and tannins (29 and 40 g/kg DM of hydrolysable and total tannins, respectively). The highest intake was observed with the diet containing both residues and urea block (741 g/day). The intake of kernels was lower in all diets when offered with the peels than when offered with rice straw alone. Apparent digestibility of the diets containing mango residues was 0.60–0.65. The peels and kernels had high digestibility coefficients (0.74 and 0.70, respectively). Based on the results above, it can be concluded that it would be interesting to test the residues in a growth experiment.     

不同类型藏羊消化率与采食量的比较研究

采食量是放牧家畜生产性能的重要影响因素,在草地生态系统中起重要作用。夏季在甘南夏河分别选取不同生理类群(羔羊、1岁母羊、2岁母羊、3岁母羊、4岁母羊、羯羊和种公羊)的欧拉型、甘加型和乔科型藏羊各4只进行试验。采用二氧化钛指示剂法与粪氮指数法分别测定藏羊排粪量和牧草有机物质消化率,从而计算放牧采食量,并对特征间的相关性进行研究。结果表明:欧拉型、乔科型和甘加型藏羊的平均放牧采食量分别为1031.93、834.59和956.15 g·d^-1,乔科型藏羊放牧采食量显著(P<0.05)小于欧拉型和甘加型藏羊。3个类型藏羊的每kg代谢体重采食量和干物质采食量占体重比差异均不显著(P>0.05)。欧拉型、乔科型和甘加型藏羊对夏河天然草地牧草的平均有机物质消化率分别为50.79%、47.22%和55.58%。欧拉型、乔科型和甘加型藏羊的平均排粪量分别为561.26、484.06和466.74 g·d^-1,其中欧拉型藏羊的排粪量显著高于其他两个类型。试验在高寒地区天然草地研究不同类型藏羊的排粪量、有机物质消化率和放牧采食量,旨在为该地区放牧藏羊的科学饲养与管理提供理论依据。     

Effect of Mediterranean saltbush (Atriplex halimus) ensilaging with two developed enzyme cocktails on feed intake,nutrient digestibility and ruminal fermentation in sheep

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of feeding Atriplex halimus (AH) silage treated with two developed enzyme cocktails to sheep on feed intake, nutrient digestibility and ruminal fermentation. The AH silage was treated without or with 2 L of ZAD1^® or ZAD2^®/1000 kg with 5% molasses and ensiled for 30 days. Barley grain (300 g/head/day) was fed as an energy supplement once daily at 10.00 hours and AH silage with or without enzyme treatment was offered ad libitum to animals twice daily at 09.00 and 16.00 hours. Sheep were fed on four experimental forage diets comprised of AH silage and barley (D1), AH silage treated with ZAD1^® and barley (D2), AH silage treated with ZAD2^® and barley (D3) and AH silage treated with a combination of ZAD1^® and ZAD2^® (1:1) and barley (D4). Ensiling AH with enzymes reduced its contents of neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber. The dry matter intake of AH of D2, D3 and D4 decreased (P < 0.001) as compared to D1. However, enzyme‐treated diets had greater total digestible nutrients intake (P < 0.001) as compared to D1. The nutrients digestibility for D2, D3 and D4 were higher than those for D1 (P < 0.001), and were higher for D3 as compared to both D2 and D4. Sheep fed on D3 had highest (P < 0.001) ruminal total volatile fatty acids concentration, ammonia nitrogen concentration and microbial protein yield. It could be concluded that AH silage treated with ZAD1^® or ZAD2^® improved digestibility and rumen fermentation in sheep.     

The effects of increasing garlic powder and monensin supplementation on feed intake,nutrient digestibility,growth performance and blood parameters of growing calves

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of increasing garlic powder and monensin supplementation on feed intake, nutrient digestibility, growth performance and blood metabolites of growing calves. Forty Holstein calves (BW = 100 ± 11 kg) were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments (n = 10) in a complete randomized design. Experimental treatments consisted of the following: (i) basal diet (control), (ii) basal diet supplemented with 0.0003% of dietary dry matter (DM) sodium monensin, (iii) low level of garlic powder (Low‐GAR; 0.5% of dietary DM) and (iv) high level of garlic powder (High‐GAR; 1% of dietary DM). DM intake (DMI) and DM digestibility were (p < 0.05) decreased by High‐GAR. However, calves supplemented with Low‐GAR had a similar DMI to the control calves and similar DM digestibility to the control and monensin groups. The digestibility of other nutrients were not affected by the treatments. Although supplementing monensin relative to Low‐GAR increased the DMI (p < 0.05), average daily gain was similar between Low‐GAR and monensin supplemented calves, which were higher than the control and High‐GAR groups (p < 0.05). As a result, feed conversion ratio was improved in the Low‐GAR group versus other treatment groups (p < 0.05). Administrating garlic powder decreased the blood low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) and non‐esterified fatty acids (p < 0.05) without affecting the blood triglyceride, high‐density lipoprotein and beta‐hydroxybutyric acid concentrations. In conclusion, the calves fed the Low‐GAR showed an improved FCR and blood metabolites without changing the DMI and nutrient digestibility. It suggests that garlic powder could be used as an alternative to monensin for growing calves under the current feeding conditions.     

The effects of salt loading via two different routes on feed intake, body water turnover rate and electrolyte excretion in sheep.

The effect of dosing identical amounts of sodium chloride, via 2 different routes, on feed intake and water and electrolyte balance was investigated in sheep. Feed intake and plasma sodium concentrations were unaffected by salt loading, while water intake, fractional turnover of body water, plasma and urine potassium concentrations and urine sodium concentration changed significantly from control values (P less than 0.05). With a few exceptions, parameters were in general similar irrespective of the route whereby sodium chloride was administered.     

The influence of high-nitrogen forages on the voluntary feed intake of sheep

The objective of this research was to examine the effect of high concentrations of nonprotein nitrogen (NPN) on the voluntary food intake of sheep fed high-quality grasses. Wether lambs (n = 6 per treatment) were fed dried switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.; Exp. 1) or dried tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.; Exp. 2). In both experiments, urea was added to the dried forage at 0 (control), 12, or 24 g of N/kg of DM to increase the NPN concentration. Acid detergent fiber concentrations were 305 g/kg of DM in both experiments, although DM digestibility was 663 and 618 g/ kg of DM in Exp. 1 and Exp. 2, respectively. Voluntary feed intake of the control forage was 28.2 and 19.1 g/ kg of BW in Exp. 1 and Exp. 2, respectively, and decreased for the high-urea treatments to 25.2 and 16.2 g/kg of BW in Exp. 1 (P = 0.07) and Exp 2 (P = 0.03), respectively. Total feed N concentrations increased from 29.5 g to 45.7 g of N/kg of DM in Exp. 1 (P < 0.01) and from 28.4 to 55.9 g of N/kg of DM in Exp. 2 (P < 0.01). Nonprotein N concentrations increased from 28.3 to 53.8% of the total N in switchgrass diets (Exp. 1; P < 0.01), and from 26.4 to 64.0% in tall fescue diets (Exp. 2; P < 0.01). Plasma urea concentrations of the lambs increased from 3.1 to 6.6 mM (Exp. 1; P < 0.01) and from 2.9 to 5.8 mM (Exp. 2; P < 0.01) as the amount of urea added to the diets increased. These changes resulted in an increase in plasma osmolality from 298 to 307 mOsm/kg (Exp. 1; P = 0.04), and from 299 to 307 mOsm/kg (Exp. 2; P = 0.06). Increasing feed N and NPN concentrations through the addition of urea caused a significant decrease in the voluntary feed intake of sheep fed tall fescue and switchgrass. These responses showed no significant cause-and-effect relationship between voluntary feed intake, plasma urea concentrations, and plasma osmolality.     

The effect of copper and cobalt supplementation on the digestibility of fibrous feed in sheep]

The effects of an addition of copper, cobalt, and copper + cobalt on the in vitro digestibility of hay, treated beech sawdust and cellulose by the rumen fluid of sheep fed a complete food ration, complete food ration with 15% treated beech sawdust and a diet consisting of 80% hay and 20% barley were investigated, respectively. The rumen fluid obtained from animals fed a complete food ration showed the significantly higher digestibility of hay (Tab. I) when Cu (P less than 0.05), Co, or Cu + Co (P less than 0.001) had been added into the rumen. The cellulose digestibility increased only after Co application (P less than 0.05). The microelements supplementation in all three forms had a very significant effect on the digestibility of treated beech sawdust by the rumen fluid of sheep fed a diet with 15% sawdust content, although the initial digestibility by the rumen fluid in the control animals (without microelements) was only 44.9%. A similar trend was also observed in the cellulose digestibility, but after Co application this increase was not significant. The rumen fluid of animals fed hay (80%) and barley (20%) showed the highest digestibility. The digestibility of sawdust reached 60% and the of cellulose 95.9% without microelements supplementation (control). In this case the effect of microelement supplementation on the sawdust digestibility was manifested only in the case of cobalt by the digestibility decrease (P less than 0.001). The cellulose digestibility also decreased after administration of Cu (P less than 0.01) and Co (P less than 0.05). The Cu + Co supplementation did not influence its digestibility.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Effect of supplementation of Simada sheep with graded levels of concentrate meal on feed intake,digestibility and body-weight parameters

The experiment consisting of 7 days of digestibility and 90 days of feeding trial was conducted at Wogda (Ethiopia) to determine the effect of supplementation of graded levels of concentrate mix (CM) on feed intake, digestibility, and body weight (BW) change in hay-based feeding of Simada sheep. Twenty-yearling Simada sheep with a mean initial BW of 17.9 ± 0.81 kg (mean ± SD) were used in randomized complete block design arranged into five blocks of four animals. The four dietary treatments that consisted of hay alone (T1), hay +150 g dry matter (DM; T2, low), hay +250 g DM (T3, medium), and hay +350 g DM (T4, high) CM were randomly assigned to each sheep within a block. The CM consisted of wheat bran (WB), noug seed (Guizotia abyssinica) meal and safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) seed meal at the ratio of (2:1:1), respectively. Supplementation with T2 and T3 increased (P < 0.001) total DM and organic matter intake than the control treatment. Overall, supplementation improved (P < 0.001) crude protein intake, digestibility, feed conversion efficiency, BW gain, and profitability compared to the control, whereas sheep on the high than the low and medium level of supplementation performed better in these parameters among the supplemented treatments. From the results of this study, T4 is recommended as the best level of supplementation since it resulted in better nutrient utilization, animal performance, and profitability.     

Long-term feed intake regulation in sheep is mediated by opioid receptors

These experiments were conducted to determine if 1) syndyphalin-33 (SD33), a mu-opioid receptor ligand, affects feed intake; 2) SD33 effects on feed intake are mediated by actions on opioid receptors; and 3) its activity can counteract the reduction in feed intake associated with administration of bacterial endotoxin. In Exp. 1, 5 mixed-breed, castrate male sheep were housed indoors in individual pens. Animals had ad libitum access to water and concentrate feed. Saline (SAL; 0.9% NaCl) or SD33 (0.05 or 0.1 micromol/kg of BW) was injected i.v., and feed intake was determined at 2, 4, 6, 8, 24, and 48 h after the i.v. injections. Both doses of SD33 increased (at least P < 0.01) feed intake at 48 h relative to saline. In Exp. 2, SAL + SAL, SAL + SD33 (0.1 micromol/kg of BW), naloxone (NAL; 1 mg/kg of BW) + SAL, and NAL + SD33 were injected i.v. Food intake was determined as in Exp. 1. The SAL + SD33 treatment increased (P = 0.022) feed intake at 48 h relative to SAL + SAL. The NAL + SAL treatment reduced (at least P < 0.01) feed intake at 4, 6, 8, 24, and 48 h, whereas the combination of NAL and SD33 did not reduce feed intake at 24 (P = 0.969) or 48 h (P = 0.076) relative to the saline-treated sheep. In Exp. 3, sheep received 1 of 4 treatments: SAL + SAL, SAL + 0.1 micromol of SD33/kg of BW, 0.1 microg of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/kg of BW + SAL, or LPS + SD33, and feed intake was monitored as in Exp. 1. Lipopolysaccharide suppressed cumulative feed intake for 48 h (P < 0.01) relative to saline control, but SD33 failed to reverse the reduction in feed intake during this period. These data indicate that SD33 increases feed intake in sheep after i.v. injection, and its effects are mediated via opioid receptors. However, the LPS-induced suppression in feed intake cannot be overcome by the opioid receptor ligand, SD33.     

结构性饲料对哺乳期和断奶应激期犊牛采食量和生长性能的影响

试验旨在研究群饲犊牛自由采食酸化奶的条件下,结构性饲料对哺乳犊牛和断奶应激期犊牛生长性能的影响。选择3～5日龄、体重相近犊牛300头,随机分为6栏,每栏50头,随机选择3栏饲喂常规颗粒犊牛开食料(颗粒料组),其余3栏饲喂结构性犊牛开食料(结构料组)。两种日粮的配方完全一致。颗粒犊牛料中所有物料均经粉碎、混合、制粒,制成颗粒料。将饲粮配方中玉米和大麦取出,换为蒸汽压片玉米和带壳大麦,其余物料粉碎、混合、制粒,为颗粒浓缩料,再将颗粒浓缩料与蒸汽压片玉米、带壳大麦混合,制成结构性饲料。整个试验分为哺乳期和断奶应激期共计90 d,哺乳期试验第1 d饲喂酸化奶,第15 d供应开食料。颗粒料组犊牛在哺乳期饲喂开食料,断奶后补饲苜蓿干草。结构料组犊牛断奶后饲喂结构性生长料。将结构性开食料与20%苜蓿干草混合,制成结构性生长料。结果表明:哺乳期间,结构性饲料采食量比颗粒料组高40%(P<0.05),日增重高19%(P<0.01);断奶应激期间,结构性饲料采食量比颗粒料组高29%(P<0.01),日增重高25%(P<0.01),饲料利用效率高11%(P<0.05);试验结束时,结构料组犊牛体重更高(P<0.05)。综上所述,在哺乳期自由饮用酸化奶的条件下,结构性饲料在哺乳期和断奶应激期的效果均优于传统颗粒开食料,可促进犊牛生长,缓解断奶应激。     

Effect of feed intake on endogenous losses and amino acid and energy digestibility by growing pigs

An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of feed intake (FI) on endogenous losses and the digestibility of CP and AA by growing pigs. Six growing barrows (initial BW = 70.3 kg) had a T-cannula installed in the distal ileum and were used in a 6 x 6 Latin square design. A soybean meal cornstarch-based diet and a N-free diet were formulated. Chromic oxide (0.25%; as-fed basis) was included in both diets as an inert marker. Each diet was provided at three different levels of FI. Feed intake level 1 was equal to the estimated energy requirement for maintenance of the pigs, whereas levels 2 and 3 were two or three times this amount, respectively. Each experimental period lasted 7 d. The initial 4 d of each period comprised an adaptation period to the experimental diets. On d 5, fecal samples were collected, while ileal digesta were collected during two 10-h periods on d 6 and 7. Between each experimental period, a corn-soybean meal-based diet (16% CP) was fed to all pigs for 7 d. The basal ileal endogenous losses (IAA(end)) of CP and AA were measured for each level of FI from pigs fed the N-free diet. Likewise, the apparent (AID) and standardized (SID) ileal digestibility coefficients for CP and AA in soybean meal were calculated for each level of FI. The total-tract digestibility coefficient of energy in the soybean meal-based diet also was calculated. The AID for CP and all indispensable AA except Lys, Met, and Thr increased (P < or =0.055) as FI increased. The IAA(end) of CP and all AA except Pro decreased linearly (P < 0.05) as FI increased when expressed as g/kg of DMI; however, the total daily IAA(end) increased as FI increased (linear, P < or =0.056) for all AA, except for Phe, Thr, Trp, Val, Cys, Gly, and Ser. The AA composition (% of CP) of endogenous protein was not affected by the level of FI, except for Arg, Thr, Pro, and Ser. As FI increased, the SID decreased linearly (P < 0.04) for CP and all AA, except Arg, Trp, Asp, Pro, and Tyr. The total-tract digestibility of energy was not influenced by the FI level. These results demonstrate that the FI level significantly influenced AID, SID, and IAA(end) for CP and AA. Therefore, pigs used to measure AA digestibility coefficients and IAA(end) should be fed at a level that is close to what is used under commercial conditions.     

中草药添加剂对小尾寒羊饲料转化率及养分消化率的影响

选取中草药数味分别炮制粉碎,按一定比例混合均匀制成添加剂,然后分别按0．5％、1．0％、1．5％、2．0％添加到小尾寒羊的精料中．以研究不同水平的中草药饲料添加剂对小尾寒羊饲料转化率、养分消化率的影响。结果表明,0．5％、1．0％、1．5％、2．0％剂量的中草药添加组的饲料转化率、养分消化率均高于对照组。其中。1．5％的添加量效果最好．饲料转化率和养分消化率同对照组均差异显著（P〈0．05）。可提高饲料报酬、降低成本,从而提高经济效益。     

The effect of level of feed intake on the pharmacokinetic disposition and efficacy of ivermectin in sheep

The kinetic disposition of orally administered [³H]-Ivermectin (IVM) was examined in sheep in which the feed intake was maintained at either 800 or 400 g/day. The [³H]-metabolites were almost completely associated with particulate digesta in the rumen. In the low feed intake group the digesta flow was slower than in sheep on high feed intake. This resulted in an extended residence time and greater availability of IVM and its metabolites. The anthelmintic efficacy of IVM was then examined in sheep in which feed intake was reduced from 800 g/day to 400g/36h prior to and 36 h after IVM administration. In sheep with reduced intake 97% of IVM-resistant Haemonchus contortus were removed, compared with 53% in sheep maintained on high feed intake.     

高山草原绵羊放牧生态及消化代谢系列研究Ⅲ。放牧绵羊食入牧草消化率动态及其限制性因素分析

采用羊粪液代替瘤胃液的牧草干物质二级离体消化率和绵羊食道瘗管方法研究高山草原放牧绵羊采食牧草干物质消化率季节动态,结果表明,在草地牧草生长的7月、8月、10月和1月,绵羊食入牧草(DM)消化率分别为61.00±1.96%,58.84±1.93%,51,40±0.84%和40.58±1.13%;同时应用灰色关联度分析方法对放牧绵羊食入牧草消化率限制因素综合分析认为:湿度、CP、NFE是影响消化率的主要因素。     

Bayesian analysis of the effect of selection for residual feed intake on growth and feed intake curves in Yorkshire swine

Gompertz growth functions were fitted to longitudinal measurements of daily feed intake (DFI) and BW of 586 boars and 495 gilts from a selection experiment in Yorkshire pigs for residual feed intake (RFI). The selection experiment consists of a line selected for low residual feed intake (LRFI) for 5 generations and a randomly selected control line (CTRL). The objectives of this study were to use Bayesian methods to estimate genetic parameters of the Gompertz curve parameters for DFI and BW, to evaluate the effect of selection for reduced RFI on the Gompertz parameters and shape of curves for DFI and BW, and to develop methodology for quantifying genetic variation at the level of the original phenotypes for DFI and BW based on the Bayesian analysis of the nonlinear model. Separate analyses were done for boars and gilts and for BW and DFI. A hierarchical model was specified in 2 levels: in the first level, the Gompertz function was modeled for each pig, and at the second level, a 3-trait linear mixed model was fitted to the 3 Gompertz parameters (asymptotic value, inflection point, and decay parameter), with fixed effects of line by generation and random effects of additive genetic and environmental effects. Bayesian methods were used to combine the 2 levels of modeling. A total of 30,000 random samples of the posterior distributions after convergence of Markov chains were used for inference. Posterior means of heritability within the first level of the model for the asymptotic value, inflection point, and decay parameter for DFI were 0.74, 0.66, and 0.82 for boars and 0.79, 0.70, and 0.57 for gilts; corresponding estimates for BW were 0.64, 0.58, and 0.60 for boars and 0.46, 0.35, and 0.33 for gilts. For DFI, LRFI boars had a reduced mature DFI (2.91 vs. 3.20 kg/d) and an earlier inflection point (85 vs. 95 d) compared with CTRL boars. For BW, LRFI boars had a lighter mature BW (279 vs. 317 kg), an earlier inflection point (184 vs. 198 d), and a decreased decay parameter (127 vs. 134 d) compared with CTRL boars. In contrast, LRFI gilts had a later inflection point (225 vs. 200 d) and a greater decay parameter (172 vs. 143 d) than CTRL gilts for BW. The other Gompertz curve parameters for DFI and BW for boars and gilts were considered not different between lines, with posterior probabilities of the line differences being greater than zero ranging from 0.1 to 0.9.