Digesta flows in sheep fed poor-quality hay supplemented with urea and carbohydrates

Two metabolism trials were conducted with 12 yearling crossbred wethers per trial (34 and 38 kg for trials 1 and 2, respectively). The wethers, equipped with ruminal, abomasal and ileal cannulae, were randomly allotted for each trial to the following treatments: 1) hay alone or hay supplemented with 2) .9% urea, 3) 1% urea and 6.5% molasses or 4) 1% urea and 5.2% corn. Two digestive flow markers were used: Cr2O3 powder and Co-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (Co-EDTA). Urea and Co-EDTA were infused continuously into the rumen via cannula. Daily dry matter (DM) intake averaged 517 g. Urea supplementation improved N retention (P less than .01). Apparent digestibility of DM, acid detergent fiber (ADF) and energy was not affected by treatment. Urea and carbohydrate supplementation increased ruminal propionic acid molar proportions (P less than .05). Apparent ruminal DM digestion accounted for 41% of the total DM degraded, whereas 77.4% of the digestible ADF was degraded in the rumen. Urea supplementation increased ADF digestion in the large intestine (P less than .01). Urea and carbohydrate supplementation resulted in a stepwise increase in N flowing with the liquid phase at the abomasum. Mean retention times of the solid and liquid phases of digestive contents were similar across treatments. Overall, benefits of supplementation of poor-quality fescue hay diets by small amounts of urea and readily available carbohydrates remain questionable for sheep fed at a fixed level of intake below maintenance

Consumo, digestibilidade e balanço de nitrogênio em novilhos alimentados com cama de frango e suplemento à base de microbiota ruminal liofilizada Intake, digestibility and nitrogen balance of steers fed broiler litter and supplement based on lyophilized ruminal microbiota

Este experimento foi realizado para avaliar o efeito de dois níveis de cama de frango (15,0 e 30,0%), associada ou não a um suplemento à base de microbiota ruminal liofilizada de bovinos adultos (0 e 10 g/animal•dia), na alimentação de novilhos Holandês/Zebu. Quatro novilhos fistulados no rúmen e abomaso foram distribuídos em um quadrado latino 4 x 4 em arranjo fatorial e alimentados individualmente à vontade. O consumo e as digestibilidades totais e parciais dos nutrientes foram avaliados. Não houve efeito do nível de cama de frango sobre o consumo e os coeficientes de digestibilidade da matéria seca (MS), matéria orgânica (MO) e fibra em detergente neutro (FDN). O aumento do nível de cama de frango na dieta elevou o coeficiente de digestibilidade intestinal e total da proteína bruta (PB), porém, quando se adicionou o suplemento à dieta com 15,0% de cama de frango, a digestibilidade intestinal aumentou e àquela contendo 30,0% diminuiu. Quando se adicionou o suplemento à dieta com 15,0% de cama de frango, o coeficiente de digestibilidade total não sofreu efeito, mas diminuiu para a dieta com 30%. A ingestão diária de 10 g do suplemento, por animal, não alterou o consumo e os coeficientes de digestibilidade da MS, MO e FDN.<br>This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of two levels of broiler litter (15.0 and 30.0%), associated or not to a supplement based on bovine lyophilized ruminal microbiota (0 and 10 g/animal•day), in the Holstein Zebu steers feeding. Four steers with ruminal and abomasal fistulae were allotted to a 4 x 4 latin square in a factorial arrangement and individually fullfed. The intake and total and partial digestibilities were evaluated. There was no effect of broiler litter level on the intake and coefficients of digestibilities of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF). The increase of the level of broiler litter in the diet increased the total and intestinal crude protein (CP) digestibility coefficient, however, when the supplement was added to the diet containing 15.0% of broiler litter, the intestinal digestibility increased, and that of 30.0% decreased. When the supplement was added to the diet containing 15.0% broiler litter, the total digestibility coefficient did not show effect, but decreased for the diet with 30.0%. The daily intake of 10 g of supplement per animal did not affect the intake and the coefficient of digestibilities of DM, OM and NDF