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In situ rumen degradation of dry matter and crude protein in ewes and dairy cows

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 August 2016

L. B. J. Šebek  and
H. Evererts
L. B. J. Šebek
Affiliation:
Institute for science and Health (ID-DLO), PO Box 65, 8200 AB Lelystad, The Netherlands
H. Evererts*
Affiliation:
Institute for science and Health (ID-DLO), PO Box 65, 8200 AB Lelystad, The Netherlands
*
†Present address: Department of Large Animal Medicine and Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Utrecht, PO Box 80152, 3508 TC Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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Abstract

Comparative studies were performed on the in-situ rumen degradation rate (kd) and the in-situ rumen undegradable residue (U) of dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) in sheep and dairy cows. The effect of different treatmentsfor sheep were investigated together with the validity of using cow-based reference protein values of foods for sheep. The effect of different breeds (Texel ewes and crossbred ewes), dietary roughage: concentrate ratio and shearing (mild cold exposure) were investigated for sheep.

The in-situ rumen incubations were performed in accordance with standard operational procedures which were comparable for both species. The foods under consideration were hay and concentrates. Cows displayed lower (DM 0·53 , CP 0·86) Kds than sheep for concentrates.

For hay a clear trend between cows and sheep was not observed but cows displayed 0·40 lower Kds than Texel ewes and 0·30 higher Kds than crossbred ewes. For concentrates U levels did not differ between species but for hay cows had 0·45 higher U values than Texel ewes. Texel ewes showed 0·45 higher Kd and 0·35 lower U for DM and CP than crossbred ewes. Dietary roughage: concentrate ratio in sheep diets did not influence the Kds and Us of the foods under consideration. Shearing of crossbred ewes increased Kd of CP by 0·25 and reduced U for DM and CP by 0·20 and 0.24 .

In conclusion different in situ rumen degradation rates were found between dairy cows and sheep. This probably makes using reference protein values of foods invalid for sheep since they are based on data for cows. Differences (Kd andU) were also found between sheep breeds and between unshorn and shorn crossbred ewes (mild cold exposure). No effect on rumen degradation kinetics could be attributed to dietary roughage: concentrate ratio.

Keywords

crud proteindairy cowsdry matterewesrumen digestion
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Science , Volume 68 , Issue 4 , June 1999 , pp. 801 - 808
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1999

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