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Response of lactating ewes grazing grass to variations in effective rumen degradable protein and digestible undegradable protein supply from concentrate supplements

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 August 2016

R. G. Wilkinson ,
L. A. Sinclair ,
J. Powles  and
C. M. Minter
R. G. Wilkinson
Affiliation:
Animal Science Research Centre, School of Agriculture, Harper Adams University College, Edgmond, Newport, Shropshire TF10 8NB, UK
L. A. Sinclair
Affiliation:
Animal Science Research Centre, School of Agriculture, Harper Adams University College, Edgmond, Newport, Shropshire TF10 8NB, UK
J. Powles
Affiliation:
Animal Science Research Centre, School of Agriculture, Harper Adams University College, Edgmond, Newport, Shropshire TF10 8NB, UK
C. M. Minter
Affiliation:
Animal Science Research Centre, School of Agriculture, Harper Adams University College, Edgmond, Newport, Shropshire TF10 8NB, UK
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Abstract

The response of lactating ewes grazing grass to variations in effective rumen degradable protein (ERDP) and digestible undegradable protein (DUP) supply from concentrates was investigated. During the spring and early summer of 1993, 36 Friesland and 12 Finn Dorset ewes were offered continuous access to permanent pasture (Lolium perenne) and allocated to one of six concentrates (1·2 kg/day) formulated to be iso-energetic and to supply 149 (H), 126 (M) or 103 (L) g ERDP and 70 (A) or 45 (B) g DUP per kg dry matter (DM) in a 3 ✕ 2 factorial design. Herbage intake was estimated using the n-alkane technique and herbage samples obtained for analysis. Ewe milk yields, milk composition, live weights (LW) and condition scores (CS) were recorded weekly. The DM and nitrogen degradability characteristics of the grass samples and concentrates were determined using four Friesland wether lambs fitted with permanent rumen cannulae. Throughout the experiment the grass ERDP: FME ratio was lower than the optimum for maximal microbial protein synthesis. However, using a rumen solid phase outflow rate of 0·05 per h, estimated concentrate ERDP and DUP supplies were similar to those predicted. Increasing concentrate ERDP supply had no effect on herbage intake or LW and CS change but reduced milk fat concentration (P < 0·05) and increased milk lactose concentration (P < 0·05) and the yields of milk (P < 0·01), protein (P < 0·05) and lactose (P < 0·01). There were no significant effects of concentrate DUP supply. In conclusion, it is suggested that concentrate ERDP increased microbial protein synthesis and metabolizable protein supply, a proportion of which may have been deaminated to provide precursors for milk lactose synthesis, such that the marginal response in milk protein yield was 0·210.

Keywords

ewesgrazingprotein intake
Type
Ruminant nutrition, behaviour and production
Information
Animal Science , Volume 71 , Issue 2 , October 2000 , pp. 369 - 379
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 2000

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