Concentrate levels on sheep diets: intake, digestibility and ruminal parameters

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the intake, digestibility of nutrients, pH, ruminal ammonia concentration in sheep fed diets with increasing levels of concentrate: 15, 30, 45, 60 and 75% in the diet. Five sheep distributed in 5x5 Latin square design were used. The animals were kept in individual pens. Each experimental period lasted 17 days. Fecal excretion was estimated by use of indigestible neutral detergent fiber. On the 17th day, the pH of the rumen fluid and the concentrations of ruminal ammonia nitrogen were measured. Increased levels of concentrate did not affect dry matter intake, while the NDF intake was reduced by 0.0074 kg / animal / day for each 1% of concentrate added. The digestibility of DM was increased by 0.51% for each 1% concentrate. The pH of the rumen fluid was reduced by 0.006 units for each 1% concentrate. NAR for the estimated maximum value of 19.13 mg / dL of rumen fluid to the level of 38.67% concentrate.

Keywords

• This study aimed to evaluate the intake
• digestibility of nutrients
• pH
• ruminal ammonia concentration in sheep fed diets with increasing levels of concentrate: 15
• 30
• 45
• 60 and 75% in the diet. Five sheep distributed in 5x5 Latin square design were used. The animals were kept in individual pens. Each experimental period lasted 17 days. Fecal excretion was estimated by use of indigestible neutral detergent fiber. On the 17th day
• the pH of the rumen fluid and the concentrations of ruminal ammonia nitrogen were measured. Increased levels of concentrate did not affect dry matter intake
• while the NDF intake was reduced by 0.0074 kg / animal / day for each 1% of concentrate added. The digestibility of DM was increased by 0.51% for each 1% concentrate. The pH of the rumen fluid was reduced by 0.006 units for each 1% concentrate. NAR for the estimated maximum value of 19.13 mg / dL of rumen fluid to the level of 38.67% concentrate.
• Grain; Ruminal ammonia nitrogen; Rumen pH