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Effect of Level and Form of Supplemental Energy and Nitrogen on Utilization of Low Quality Roughage by Sheep^1,2,

University of Florida⁴, Gainesville 32611

Abstract

Three voluntary intake and metabolism studies were conducted to compare various levels and forms of nonprotein N (urea and biuret) and energy (corn and sugarcane molasses) as supllements for sheep consuming a low quality forage. In Exp. 1, sheep consumed hay containing 3.9% crude protein plus a dialy supplement of 0, 5 or 10 g of urea N in combination with 80 or 160 g of molasses. A control treatment group was fed no supplemental energy or N. sheep given 160 g of mollasses daily consumed less (P<.05) hay than control animals (480 vs 597 g). Increasing N levels improved (P<.05) cellulose digestiblity, organic matter digestibility and N retention. Blood urea N (BUN) levels increased with greater supplemental N levels. In Exp. 2, sheep consumed hay containing 3.4% crude protein plus a daily supplement of 0, 5 or 10 g of biuret N in combination with 0, 80 or 160 g of molasses. Cellulose digestibility was decreased (P<.05) by molasses supplementation, while organic matter digestibility was increased (P<.05) with increasing levels of biuret N. In Exp. 3, sheep fed hay containing 3.6% crude protein were supplied with either no supplemental N or 7 g of N daily from urea or biuret in combination with 60 g of dry energy supplement (50% corn meal, 25% corn starch, 25% sucrose; 4.8% crude protein) or 80 g of molasses. Cellulose and organic matter digestibilities were improved (P<.05) when diets were supplemented with urea or biuret. Supplemental energy improved (P<.05) organic matter digestibility and N retention. Prefeeding BUN values for sheep consuming urea were lower (P<.05) than those for sheep consuming biuret.

¹ Florida Agr. Exp. Sta. Journal Ser. No. 2433.

² The authors wish to acknowledge Dow Chemical Co., Midland, MI, for providing financial support and biuret; Pfizer inc., New York, NY, for providing vitamins A and D; American Cyanamid, Princeton, NJ, for providing urea, and National Molasses Co., Willow Grove, PA for providing low N molasses.

³ Present address: Farr Better Feeds, Hereford, TX 79045.

⁴ Dept. of Anim. Sci.