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Effect of Salinomycin Level on Nutrient Digestibility and Ruminal Characteristics of Sheep and Feedlot Performance of Cattle¹

University of Illinois, Urbana 61801

Abstract

A sheep digestion trial and two feedlot trials with cattle were conducted to study effects of an ionophore, salinomycin, on nutrient digestibility, ruminal metabolism and cattle performance. In trial 1, addition of salinomycin at 5.5, 11 or 22 ppm to 60% concentrate diets fed to ruminal-cannulated rams had no effect (P>.05) on apparent digestibility of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF) or starch in comparison with control diets. Apparent nitrogen (N) digestibility was increased (P<.05) in animals fed salinomycin. Salinomycin did not affect total volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations in the rumen, but resulted in a linear (P<.05) increase in molar proportion of propionate and a linear (P<.05) decrease in molar proportions of acetate and butyrate and in acetate:propionate ratios. Shifts in VFA proportions were fully expressed within 4 d after salinomycin was added to the diet. In trial 2, salinomycin was added at 5.5, 11, 22 or 33 ppm to 85% concentrate diets fed to finishing steers. Salinomycin level had a quadratic effect (P<.05) on daily weight gain and resulted in a quadratic (P<.05) decrease in feed intake with a resultant average improvement of 10.3% in feed efficiency. Salinomycin (5.5, 11, 16.5 or 22 ppm) and monensin (22 ppm) were added to 90% concentrate diets in trial 3 and produced increased rates of gain without affecting feed intake. Steers fed monensin or any level of salinomycin in trial 3 had lower (P<.05) incidence and concentration of coccidial oocysts in feces after 28 and 111 d compared with steers fed the control diet.

¹ The research reported herein was supported in part by a grant from A. H. Robins Co., Richmond, VA.

² Dept. of Anim. Sci.

³ The assistance of Dr. M. R. Murphy and Dr. C. L. Davis in the analysis of ruminal VFA is gratefully acknowledged.