HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Chiou, P. W. S. Articles by Jordan, R. M. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Chiou, P. W. S. Articles by Jordan, R. M.

Ewe Milk Replacer Diets for Young Lambs. I. Effect of Age of Lamb and Dietary Fat on Digestibility of the Diet, Nitrogen Retention and Plasma Constituents^{1, 2,}

University of Minnesota, St. Paul 55101

Abstract

THREE diets containing 32% protein and either 13, 22 or 30% fat were fed to 30 neonatal lambs that had been removed from their dams at 1 to 2 days of age to determine the effect of dietary fat levels and age of lambs on growth and utilization of nutrients. The lambs were fed until 31 days of age. At 4 days of age, 12 of the lambs were placed in metabolism cages for a 12-day period for digestion and N retention studies. Blood samples were obtained when the lambs were 17, 24 and 31 days of age.

Dietary fat level had no significant effect on weight gains but did significantly affect the feed:gain ratio and protein efficiency ratio. Lambs fed a milk replacer containing 13% fat were significantly inferior in feed:gain ratio and protein efficiency ratio. Dietary fat had no significant bearing on apparent digestibility, N retention or energy efficiency ratio.

While age of lambs did not affect digestibility, young lambs (1 to 2 weeks old) retained significantly more nitrogen and were significantly more efficient in energy and protein utilization than 4-week-old lambs.

The levels of most plasma free amino acids were significantly affected by age of lamb and dietary fat levels. The concentrations of most plasma free amino acids increased linearly between 17 and 31 days of age and increased curvilinearly between 15 and 30% of dietary fat. The interaction of dietary fat and age of lamb was significant.

The levels of plasma urea and ammonia were significantly affected by age of the lamb but not by dietary fat levels. The concentrations of plasma urea and ammonia increased linearly between 17 and 31 days of age. Neither age of the lambs nor fat content of the diet had a significant effect on plasma volatile fatty acids.

¹ Paper No. 7984, Scientific Journal Series, Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station, St. Paul.

² This paper is a portion of the Ph.D. dissertation submitted by the senior author to the Department of Animal Science, University of Minnesota.