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Metabolism of Cubed Feeds by Sheep with Various Concentrate:Forage Ratios¹

U. S. Department of Agriculture and Utah State University, Logan UT 84322

Abstract

Cubed diets containing alfalfa, hay s-c, cut 2 (alfalfa hay) and 0, 25 and 50% barley, grain, rolled (rolled barley) were compared with similar diets where the alfalfa hay was chopped. Digestion was studied with sheep and rumen VFA concentrations were measured. The digestibility of dry matter (DM), energy and organic matter (OM) of the cubed diet containing no rolled barley was 4 percentage units higher than that for chopped hay. At the 25% rolled barley level, the cubed diet was slightly more than 1 percentage unit higher in digestibility of DM, energy and OM than the chopped diet. At the 50% barley level, there were no differences in digestibilities due to diet form. Increased barley content increased the digestibilities of DM, energy, and OM. Ration form did not significantly affect protein digestibility. Cube feeding caused acetic acid and acetate:propionate ratio (A/P) to be higher and propionic acid to be lower than those for chopped diets. As level of rolled barley increased, the acetic acid and pH decreased and butyric acid increased. Grain level did not significantly affect the propionic level or acetate: propionate ratio. Sampling hour had a marked affect on VFA proportions with pH, acetic acid and A/P decreasing continually from prefeeding to 6 hr postprandially. VFA patterns had stabilized within 2 days after abrupt ration changes up to 50% concentrate diets.

¹ Published as Journal Paper #1934 of Utah Agricultural Experiment Station.

² Research Animal Scientist, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Logan, Utah 84322.

³ Professor, Department of Animal Science, Utah State University, Logan.

⁴ The authors greatly acknowledge the assistance of R. Camargo F. and M. L. Stone in conducting these studies. They would also like to thank Interstate Feed Co., Malta, Idaho, who generously donated the feeds for these studies.