HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Hefner, D. L. Articles by Fahey, G. C. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Hefner, D. L. Articles by Fahey, G. C., Jr.

Branched-Chain Fatty Acid Supplementation of Corn Crop Residue Diets

University of Illinois², Urbana 61801

Abstract

Experiments were initiated to measure animal performance, nutrient digestibility and metabolism characteristics associated with feeding corn crop residues supplemented with branched-chain fatty acids (BCFA), urea (U), molasses (M), corn steep liquor (CSL), soybean meal (SBM) or corn gluten meal (CGM). Switching sheep from an alfalfa hay to a corn cob-urea-based diet decreased in vitro solka floc digestibility from 58.8 to 43.3% and in situ cotton thread disappearance from 64.8 to 29.2% when averaged across two trials. Cotton thread disappearance in sheep fed diets supplemented with BCFA was equal (trial 1) or superior (P<.05, trial 2) to that of sheep receiving the U + M supplement. In vitro solka floc digestibility remained constant or tended to decrease with time, with inoculum from the U + M-supplemented sheep resulting in the highest (P<.05) digestibility in trial 1. In trial 2, sheep fed diets supplemented with casein as compared with U supported higher (P<.05) in vitro solka floe digestibilities (45.9 vs 43.5%), higher (P<.05) in situ cotton thread disappearances (39.4 vs 30.5%) and lower (P<.05) rumen ammonia levels (13.1 vs 35.1 mg/100 ml). Dry matter and fiber digestibilities tended to be higher when lambs were fed natural protein supplements (SBM, CSL or CGM), while U and BCFA supplements tended to decrease extent of digestion. Data from steer performance trials utilizing corn stalklage showed that liquid M supplements containing U or U + CSL were inferior (P<.05) to natural protein supplements in terms of their effect on average daily gain and feed efficiency. A ruminal BCFA deficiency is not the first-limiting factor affecting the performance of ruminants fed U-supplemented corn crop residues.

¹ Present address: Nutrition Services, Belleville, IL.

² Dept. of Anim. Sci.