Effect of Alfalfa Meal and Brewers Dried Yeast on Digestibility of Different Qualities of Prairie Hay by Cattle and Sheep

Abstract

Roughages are one of the most important feeding stuffs, and a large quantity is produced each year that has a little market value except as a feed for ruminants. Cattle and sheep are able to consume and utilize efficiently large quantities of roughages when they are supplied with an adequate amount of nutrients essential for the animal and for an active bacterial population in the rumen. However, roughages vary considerably in their nutrient content and, thus, in their value as a feed, depending upon many factors, some of which are discussed in the review of literature. It is important that the farmer and rancher know the factors affecting the nutritive value of roughages so that they can produce the best quality possible and can better understand how to supplement them to get the most feeding value therefrom. Methods of improving the digestibility of roughages by various supplements have received considerable attention by research workers. This research has brought about a concept that to feed ruminants properly on roughages, especially poor quality roughages, supplements must be provided which will contain essential nutrients to fulfill the nutritional requirements of rumen microorganisms. An active rumen flora is necessary to break down the resistant nutrients in roughages into a usable form. The work reported herein supplements on the digestibility of both early and late-cut prairie hay. This is the most important roughage fed to cattle and sheep during the winter months in this area. The supplements used in the work reported were alfalfa meal and brewers dried yeast, both of which have received prominence in supplementing poor quality roughages. Both cattle and sheep were used in the experiment to determine their comparative digestive powers with these hays of different quality and with the two supplements at various levels