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Nitrogen Utilization and Ruminal Fermentation in Steers Fed Soybean Meal Treated with Formaldehyde¹

University of Illinois, Urbana 61801

Abstract

Four rumen-fistulated steers averaging 400 kg in body weight were used in a 4 x 4 Latin square arrangement with 18-d periods to investigate the effect of treating soybean meal (SBM) with formaldehyde on nitrogen (N) utilization and ruminal fermentation. Experimental diets, on a dry matter basis, consisted of 42% corn silage, 48.5% cracked corn-mineral mixture and 9.5% SBM treated with 0, .3, .6 or .9% formaldehyde by weight. Dry matter and organic matter digestibilities were not affected by treatment. Formaldehyde treatment of SBM resulted in a linear decrease in N digestibility (P<.005) and urinary N excretion (P<.01) and a quadratic increase (P<.05) in N retention. The depression in apparent N digestibility was small when SBM was treated with .3% formaldehyde. This level of formaldehyde treatment also had little effect on in vitro enzymatic hydrolysis of SBM. Ruminal ammonia-N concentrations were lower (P<.05) in steers fed formaldehyde-treated SBM. Ruminal pH was lower (P<.05) at 6 and 8 h postfeeding while volatile fatty acid concentrations were higher (P<.05) at 8 and 12 h postfeeding for steers fed untreated SBM. Propionic acid (mol/100 mol) decreased linearly (P<.05) with increasing level of formaldehyde treatment. Urea-N concentrations in plasma were decreased (P<.001) and plasma-free essential amino acid concentrations were increased (P<.10) by formaldehyde treatment. Ruminal disappearance of N from polyester bags containing the SBM supplements was greatly reduced (P<.005) by formaldehyde treatment. Results suggest that treatment of SBM with .3% formaldehyde will reduce ruminal degradation while having little effect on postruminal protein digestilibity, resulting in an increased N utilization. 6 Sigma Chemical Co., St. Louis, MO.

¹ Supported in part by the Illinois Agr. Exp. Sta.

² Present address: Dept. of Anim. Sci., North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh 27695-7621.

³ Dept. of Dairy Sci.

⁴ To whom reprint requests should be addressed.

⁵ Dept. of Anim. Sci.