Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rdxmf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T07:56:04.604Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The effect of zeolite on digestibility and feedlot performance of Mehraban male lambs given a diet containing urea-treated maize silage

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 August 2016

R. Forouzani ,
E. Rowghani  and
M. J. Zamiri
R. Forouzani
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
E. Rowghani*
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
M. J. Zamiri
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
*
Corresponding author. E-mail:[email protected]
Get access

Abstract

A naturally occurring zeolite (Anzymite™) was added to a diet containing 350 g maize silage per kg (which was treated with 10 g urea per kg (fresh weight)), 375 g barley and 275 g alfalfa hay per kg. Effect of inclusion of zeolite (0, 30 and 60 g/kg diet) on diet digestibility, ruminal fluid acidity and ammonia concentration, blood urea nitrogen level, and feedlot performance was studied in Mehraban ram lambs. The diets were given ad libitum. Digestibility coefficients of dietary dry matter and crude protein were significantly increased by zeolite (P < 0·05). The diet containing 30 g zeolite per kg had higher neutral-detergent fibre digestibility compared with the control (P < 0·05). Over all sampling times, the ruminal fluid of the sheep given the 30-g/kg zeolite diet had the highest and those given the 60-g/kg zeolite diet had the lowest pH values (P = 0·03). Before feeding, ruminal ammonia concentration was low for all treatments (4 to 8 mg/dl). At 4 h after feeding, the control diet had the lowest ruminal ammonia concentration (5·5 mg/dl) which was significantly lower than the values for zeolite diets (35 to 39 mg/dl). Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) level increased post feeding for all diets. At 4 h post feeding, the level for the control diet was significantly higher than for the zeolite diets, but at 6 h post feeding, the level of BUN was higher with 60 g zeolite per kg diet. Daily dry-matter intake for the 60 g zeolite per kg diet was significantly higher than for the control. Backfat depth in the 60 g zeolite group was significantly less than the control group. Pelvic and pericardial fats were significantly higher for the zeolite groups. Fat-tail weight in the 60 g/kg of zeolite group was significantly higher than in the 30 g zeolite and control groups. The findings indicated that, in spite of some improvements in digestibility and rumen fermentation pattern, addition of zeolite to the diet of feedlot Mehraban lambs, under the conditions of this experiment, was not advantageous.

Keywords

lambsmaize silagerumen fluidureazeolites
Type
Ruminant nutrition, behaviour and production
Information
Animal Science , Volume 78 , Issue 1 , February 2004 , pp. 179 - 184
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 2004

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ames, L. L. 1960. The cation sieve properties of clinoptilolite. American Mineralogy 45: 689.Google Scholar
Association of Official Analytical Chemists. 1975. Official methods of analysis, second edition. AOAC, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Butler, W. R., Evertt, R. W. and Coppock, C. E. 1981. The relationship between energy balance, milk production and ovulation in postpartum Holstein cows. Journal of Animal Science 53: 742–748.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Farid, A. 1989. Direct, maternal and heterosis effects for slaughter and carcass characteristics in three breeds of fat-tailed sheep. Livestock Production Science 23: 137–162.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Galindo, J., Elias, A. and Cardero, J. 1984. The addition of zeolite to silage diets. Cuban Journal of Agricultural Science 18: 57–62.Google Scholar
Galyean, M. L. and Chabot, R. C. 1981. Effect of sodium bentonite, buffer salts, cement kiln dust and clinoptilolite on rumen characteristics of beef steers fed a high roughage diet. Journal of Animal Science 52: 1197–1204.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hemken, R. W., Harmon, R. J. and Mann, L. M. 1984. Effect of clinoptilolite on lactating dairy cows fed a diet containing urea as a source of protein. In Zeo-agriculture use of natural zeolites in agriculture and aquaculture (ed. Pond, W. G. and Mumpton, F. A.), p. 171. Westview Press, Boulder, CO.Google Scholar
Hoover, W. H. and Miller, T. K. 1990. Carbohydrate and protein considerations in ration formulation. Proceedings of large dairy herd management conference. Cornell Cooperation Extentions, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, p. 71.Google Scholar
Husted, W. T., Mehen, S., Hale, W. H., Little, M. and Theurer, B. 1968. Digestibility of milo processed by different methods. Journal of Animal Science 27: 531.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johnson, M. A., Sweeney, T. F. and Muller, L. D. 1988. Effects of feeding synthetic zeolite A and sodium bicarbonate on milk production, nutrient digestion and rate of digesta passage in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 71: 446–953.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Johnson, W. J. and Suburth, J. M. 1974. Ammonia removal by selective ion exchange: a backup system for microbiological filters in closed system aquaculture. Aquaculture 4: 61–67.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McCollum, F. T. and Galyean, M. L. 1983. Effects of clinoptilolite on rumen fermentation, digestion and feedlot performance in beef steers fed high concentrate diets. Journal of Animal Science 56: 517–524.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mumpton, F. A. and Fishman, P. H. 1977. The application of natural zeolites in animal science and aquaculture. Journal of Animal Science 45: 1188–1203.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Peterson, S. 1980. Observations from the literature concerning the use of natural zeolite clinoptilolite as an additive to animal feed. Leonard Resources, Inc., Albuquerque, NM..Google Scholar
Snyder, T. J., Rogers, J. A. and Muller, L. D. 1983. Effect of 1·2% sodium bicarbonate with two rations of corn silage: grain on milk production, rumen fermentation and nutrient digestion by lactating dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 66: 1290.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Statistical Analysis Systems Institute. 1996. SAS/STAT software: changes and enhancement through release 6·12. SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC.Google Scholar
Sweeney, T. F. 1980. Influence of zeolite on growth and metabolism in the ruminant. Ph. D. dissertation. University of Kentucky, Lexington.Google Scholar
Sweeney, T. F., Bull, L. S. and Hemken, R. W. 1980. Effect of zeolite as a feed additive on growth performance in ruminants. Journal of Animal Science 51: 401–409.Google Scholar
Sweeney, T. F., Cervantes, A., Bull, L. S. and Hemken, R. W. 1984. Effects of dietary clinoptilolite on digestion and rumen fermentation in steers. In Zeo-agriculture use of natural zeolites in agriculture and aquaculture (ed. Pond, W. G. and Mumpton, F. A.), p. 177. Westview Press, Boulder, CO.Google Scholar
Tietz, N. W. 1986. Textbook of clinical chemistry. Saunders, W. B. Company, Philadelphia.Google Scholar
Van Soest, P. J. 1963. The use of detergents in the analysis of fiber feed. A rapid method for the determination of fiber and lignin. Journal of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists 46: 829–835.Google Scholar
Van Soest, P. J. and Wine, R. H. 1976. The use of detergents in the analysis of fibrous feeds. I V. Determination of plant cell wall constituents. Journal of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists 50: 50–55.Google Scholar
White, J. L. and Ohlrogge, A. J. 1974. Ion exchange materials to increase consumption of nonprotein nitrogen in ruminants. Canadian patent 939186, 2 January 1974.Google Scholar