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This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of substituting wheat straw with corn stover (CS) on the growth performance and blood parameters of lambs fed on a concentrate diet. Male lambs were split into two groups, with 16 lambs in each. Following a 7-days adaptation period, one group received a diet containing 0 g/kg CS (CS0) and the other group received 100 g/kg CS (CS100) for 56 days. The following growth-related parameters were evaluated: feed intake, digestibility, N balance, total weight gain, average daily gain and blood parameters. The production cost was also assessed. Dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) intake increased (p ≤ .05) for lambs fed the CS100 diet. Lambs introduced to the CS100 diet were better able to digest (p ≤ .05) DM, CP, neutral detergent fibre, and acid detergent fibre. N intake and retention improved, while N lost in faeces tended to increase (p ≤ .08) in lambs fed the CS100 diet. Average daily weight gain was greater (p = .03), and cost of gain was lower (p = .001) for lambs fed the CS100 diet. Blood glucose increased while creatinine was reduced (p < .05) for lambs fed the CS100 diet. These results indicate that feeding lambs the CS100 diet is efficient and would increase profitability. In conclusion, feeding corn stover had a positive impact on growth rate, reduced production costs, and had no negative effect on health. Therefore, we recommend that lambs should be fed diets that include CS100.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of substituting wheat straw with corn stover (CS) on the growth performance and blood parameters of lambs fed on a concentrate diet. Male lambs were split into two groups, with 16 lambs in each. Following a 7-days adaptation period, one group received a diet containing 0 g/kg CS (CS0) and the other group received 100 g/kg CS (CS100) for 56 days. The following growth-related parameters were evaluated: feed intake, digestibility, N balance, total weight gain, average daily gain and blood parameters. The production cost was also assessed. Dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) intake increased (p ≤.05) for lambs fed the CS100 diet. Lambs introduced to the CS100 diet were better able to digest (p ≤.05) DM, CP, neutral detergent fibre, and acid detergent fibre. N intake and retention improved, while N lost in faeces tended to increase (p ≤.08) in lambs fed the CS100 diet. Average daily weight gain was greater (p =.03), and cost of gain was lower (p =.001) for lambs fed the CS100 diet. Blood glucose increased while creatinine was reduced (p <.05) for lambs fed the CS100 diet. These results indicate that feeding lambs the CS100 diet is efficient and would increase profitability. In conclusion, feeding corn stover had a positive impact on growth rate, reduced production costs, and had no negative effect on health. Therefore, we recommend that lambs should be fed diets that include CS100. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experiment was conducted to see how replacing soybean meal with chickpea grains (CHPE) affected the performance, milk production, digestibility, nitrogen (N) balance, and blood metabolites of Awassi ewes. Thirty Awassi ewes with an initial body weight of 53.2 ± 2.31 kg and aged between 4 and 5 years were selected and randomly assigned to different feeding treatments (10 ewes per diet). Dietary dry matter (DM) was (1) 0 g/kg CHPE (CON); (2) 150 g/kg CHPE (CHPE150); and (3) 300 g/kg CHPE (CHPE300). The costs of these diets were determined using current ingredient prices. The experiment lasted 9 weeks. During the trial, ewes and their lambs were kept in individual pens. Daily nutrient intake was monitored. Every 2 weeks, the body weight (BW), milk output, and composition of the ewes were measured. In comparison to the CON diet, adding the CHPE to the experimental diets lowered feed costs (US$) per ton by 11% for CHPE150 and 21% for CHPE300. The CHPE300 group had a lower (P < 0.05) consumption of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) than the CHPE150 group, while the CON group had the highest (P < 0.05) intake of NDF. The intake of ether extract (EE) (g/d) was higher (P < 0.05) in the ewes fed the CHPE300 compared to the ewes fed CHPE150, and it was lowest in ewes fed the CON diet. When the ewes were fed the CHPE300 and the CHPE150 diets, the total solids (g/kg) in each kg of milk produced per day was higher (P < 0.05) than when they were fed the CON diet. The cost per kg of milk produced by the ewes was lowered (P < 0.05) when the CHPE was added to their diets. When the ewes on the CHPE300 and the CHPE150 diets were compared to the ewes on the CON diet, crude protein (CP) digestibility was higher (P < 0.05). The EE digestibility was higher (P < 0.05) for the CHPE300 group, while the CHPE150 group had an intermediate outcome. The CHPE300 group had lower amounts of N in their feces and urine (P < 0.05) than the other groups. The retention of N (g/100 g) in the ewes fed the CHPE300, and the CHPE150 diets was higher (P < 0.05) than in the ewes fed the CON diet. As a result, the current research demonstrates that part of soybean meal and barley grain could be replaced with chickpeas in the diets of lactating Awassi ewes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two experiments were conducted to assess the influence of sesame meal (SM) feeding on nutrient digestibility, N balance, milk production and composition, ewes’ body weight change, and growth performance of lambs. In experiment 1, 18 ewe lambs were randomly distributed into three diets to evaluate the effects of soybean meal replacement with SM on nutrient intake, digestibility, and N balance. Treatments were no SM (SM0), 7.5% SM (SM7.5), or 15% SM (SM15) of the dietary dry matter (DM). Aside from intake and digestibility of ether extract (EE), which was greater in the SM-containing diets compared with SM0, intake and digestibility of the remaining nutrients was similar among dietary treatments. In experiment 2, 30 ewes suckling single lambs were randomly assigned to the same diets used in experiment 1. Intakes of DM, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent fiber were unaffected by treatment. Milk yield was greater in SM diets than in the SM0 diet. Cost/kg of milk production decreased while feed efficiency improved in the SM-diets compared to the SM0 diet. In conclusion, results of the current studies demonstrate the possibility of replacing soybean meal with sesame meal in diets of lactating Awassi ewes.

Abstract: Objective was to improve the growth of ewe lambs so that they could be mated in their first year. Twenty-four Awassi ewe lambs were randomly assigned to one of three treatments. Treatments were: no Ca-LCFA (CON; the basal diet), basal diet+50g/eweday (50Ca-LCFA) or basal diet+100g/eweday (100Ca-LCFA) calcium salts of long chain fatty acids (Ca-LCFA). Nutrient intakes were similar (P>0.05) among groups except for the ether extract (EE) and metabolizable energy (ME). Intake of EE was greater (P<0.05) for ewes fed the 50Ca-LCFA and 100Ca-LCFA diets compared to the CON group and was greater (P<0.05) for the 100Ca-LCFA group compared to the 50Ca-LCFA group. Intake of ME was greater (P<0.05) for ewes fed 100Ca-LCFA than ewes fed CON and 50Ca-LCFA diets. Digestibility of dry matter tended (P<0.06) to be greater for ewes fed the 100Ca-LCFA diet than to those fed the CON diet. Organic matter digestibility was greater (P<0.05) for the 100Ca-LCFA group than the CON group. Digestibility of neutral detergent fiber was greater (P<0.05) for ewes fed the 100Ca-LCFA than the CON group. Digestibility of acid detergent fiber was greater (P<0.05) for the 100Ca-LCFA group than the CON group. Digestibility of EE was greater (P<0.05) for ewe fed diets containing Ca-LCFA compared to the CON group. Average daily gain was not different (P>0.97) among groups. Calcium concentrations were the highest (P<0.05) for the 50Ca-LCFA group. Serum concentrations of cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) were greater (P<0.05) in ewes fed Ca-LCFA than CON group. Results indicate that supplementation of Ca-LCFA did not improve the growth performance of replacement Awassi ewe lambs while it improved nutrients digestibility and increased serum concentrations of cholesterol and HDL. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study presents a novel method for use of the wild plant species Cephalaria joppensis (CJ) as agricultural forage for ruminants. Domesticated CJ tends to have higher crop mass yield per hectare than a commercial wheat variety (W) but is similar in in vitro dry matter (DM) digestibility. This study was composed of 3 experiments. Experiment 1 aimed to measure effects of ensiling CJ versus W in packed polyethylene-wrapped bales. Three types of ensiled bales were produced for each plant: 1) direct-cut CJ versus W packed solely; 2) direct-cut CJ versus W mixed as sole roughage source together with dietary ingredient and packed in bales to create CJ total mixed ration (CJ-TMR) or W-TMR; 3) CJ silage versus W silage mixed as one-third of dietary roughage source together with two-thirds sorghum (S) silage and additional dietary ingredients and packed in bales to create CJ-S-TMR or W-S-TMR. Data showed that packing and wrapping created anaerobic conditions within the 4 types of TMR bales while reducing pH (4.12 to 4.37). Dry matter loss during ensilage was higher for the 2 types of TMR containing W compared with CJ. Ensilage decreased soluble nitrate content as well as yeast and mold contamination, and the 4 types of TMR bales were characterized by a long outdoor shelf life (3 mo) and high stability under aerobic expo- sure. Experiment 2 aimed to measure the intake and digestibility by sheep of the 4 types of packed TMR after 90 d of ensiling. Data demonstrated higher voluntary intake of the CJ-TMR compared with the other TMR types. The CJ-TMR was characterized by higher digestibility of DM, crude protein, and neutral detergent fiber components compared with the CJ-S-TMR. Experiment 3 examined intake, digestibility, and milk production by 21 pairs of lactating cows individually fed CJ-S-TMR versus W-S-TMR. Similar intake (21.6 to 22.0 kg/d) and digestibility of DM and crude protein were observed in cows fed the 2 TMR types (68 to 69% and 66 to 68%, respectively). However, neutral detergent fiber and cellulose digestibility were slightly higher in the cows fed W-S-TMR and this was reflected in a small increase in their milk and energy-corrected milk yield (36.5 and 31.4 kg/cow per day, respectively) compared with cows fed CJ-S-TMR (35.5 and 30.4 kg/ cow per day, respectively). Results demonstrate that direct-cut CJ used as is, or CJ silage can be included and ensiled in TMR bales for feeding productive ruminants as a substitute for wheat silage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study measured the effects of replacing corn silage and vetch hay by soy hulls in total mixed rations (TMRs) fed to 25 pairs of cows through 90d in milk, on dry matter (DM) intake, in vivo digestibility, milk yield and composition, onset of normal estrous activity, body condition score (BCS), health and the energy balance of lactating cows. The partitioning of metabolizable energy (ME) intake between heat production (HP) and retained energy (RE) in milk and body change of each cow was measured. The two TMRs differed in the content of forage and forage aNDFom [235g/kg versus 350g/kg; and 128g/kg versus 187g/kg DM, in the experimental (EXP) and control (CON) diets, respectively]. This was reflected by an increase in voluntary DM intake by 7.2% (P=0.02) in the EXP group as compared with the CON. In vivo DM and aNDFom digestibility were 4.9% (P=0.03) and 22.7% higher (P=0.01), respectively, in the EXP group than in the CON. The higher DM intake and digestibility of the EXP TMR were reflected by a concomitant increase of 7.4% in milk yield and 10.8% in RE (P=0.01) of the EXP cows as compared with the CON. The two dietary groups expressed similar somatic cell counts, and metabolic disorders (i.e., ketosis and/or lameness), as well as pedometer activity (steps/h) suggesting similar udder health, behavior and animal welfare. A trend to an earlier return to normal ovarian activity occurred in the EXP cows as reflected by fewer days to 1st ovulation and advanced outset of estrous cycle. Despite the higher RE of the EXP cows, the HP of both groups was maintained at an upper level of 141–136MJ/cow/d during the 90d of the experiment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Simple Summary: Alternative feeds are agricultural or industrial by-products (rich in nutrient content) that can be used to replace part of the conventional ingredients in animal rations. These by-products are typically much lower in cost than conventional feeds and reduce the dependence on conventional feeds, which would increase the benefits and profitability of raising livestock. Another objective of this kind of experiments is to utilize agro-industrial by-products, such as sesame meal, which, in turn, would reduce their waste disposal and the associated pollution issues. Sesame meal can replace soybean meal at levels of 0%, 7.5%, and 15%. Milk production increased in SM-containing diets more than the control. Lamb growth improved in sesame meal-containing diets. Two experiments were conducted to assess the influence of sesame meal (SM) feeding on nutrient digestibility, N balance, milk production and composition, ewes' body weight change, and growth performance of lambs. In experiment 1, 18 ewe lambs were randomly distributed into three diets to evaluate the effects of soybean meal replacement with SM on nutrient intake, digestibility, and N balance. Treatments were no SM (SM0), 7.5% SM (SM7.5), or 15% SM (SM15) of the dietary dry matter (DM). Aside from intake and digestibility of ether extract (EE), which was greater in the SM-containing diets compared with SM0, intake and digestibility of the remaining nutrients was similar among dietary treatments. In experiment 2, 30 ewes suckling single lambs were randomly assigned to the same diets used in experiment 1. Intakes of DM, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent fiber were unaffected by treatment. Milk yield was greater in SM diets than in the SM0 diet. Cost/kg of milk production decreased while feed efficiency improved in the SM-diets compared to the SM0 diet. In conclusion, results of the current studies demonstrate the possibility of replacing soybean meal with sesame meal in diets of lactating Awassi ewes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]