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Rumen Fermentation Characteristics, Nitrogen Balance and Growth in Lambs Fed Methane Digester Effluent¹

University of Missouri, Columbia 65211

Abstract

A laboratory silo trial, two lamb metabolism trials and a lamb growth trial were conducted to compare the nitrogen (N) value of swine methane digester effluent (MDE) to that of urea. Using laboratory silos four/treatment), fermentation characteristics were measured for silages containing cracked corn, ground wheat straw and MDE added at levels of 0, 4, 8 or 12% of silage dry matter (DM). Lactic acid concentration increased linearly with up to 8% MDE addition, but then decreased (P<.05; quadratic) with 12% MDE. Butyric acid was highest (P<.05; linear) with 12% MDE, indicating an undesirable fermentation. In a metabolism study, DM, organic matter and N digestibilities and N balance were similar (P>.10) between urea and MDE, but DM digestibility was lower (P<.05) for ensiled diets (52%) than diets fed fresh daily (59.4%). Mean ruminal volatile fatty acid, ruminal ammonia-N and plasma urea-N concentrations were similar (P>.10) between urea- and MDE-fed lambs. Plasma urea-N was higher (P<.05) and ruminal isovaleric acid lower (P<.05) in animals fed ensiled than fresh diets. In the second metabolism trial, digestibility of N was lowest (P<.05) for MDE (51.2%) and highest for soybean meal (SBM; 71.8%), but N balance was similar among all diets. When growing lambs (19.8 kg) were offered diets similar to those utilized in the second metabolism trial, rates of gain were similar (P>.10) among lambs fed urea, MDE and SBM (76.2, 84.5 and 85 g/d, respectively), but were less (P<.05) than for lambs fed distillers wet grains (DWG; 123.3 g/d). Feed to gain ratio was superior for lambs offered DWG (5.5) compared with lambs offered urea (9.2) or MDE (7.9). These data suggest that a desirable fermentation can be achieved when 8% MDE is ensiled with cracked corn and wheat straw. Utilization of N appears to be similar for diets supplemented with MDE or urea, but was poorer than for the diet containing DWG.

¹ Contribution of the Missouri Agr. Exp. Sta. Journal Series No. 9782. Approved by the Director.

² Dept. of Anim. Sci., Univ. of Nebraska, Lincoln 68583.

³ Dept. of Anim. Sci.

⁴ Dept. of Agr. Engineering, ARS, USDA.