Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-23T05:29:30.296Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Responses in the growth of body components of finishing lambs to additional metabolizable energy supplied from either grass silage or concentrates

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

R. W. J. Steen ,
S. D. Johnston ,
D. J. Kilpatrick  and
D. M. B. Chestnutt
R. W. J. Steen
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, Co. Down BT26 6DR Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland The Queen's University of Belfast
S. D. Johnston
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, Co. Down BT26 6DR
D. J. Kilpatrick
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland The Queen's University of Belfast
D. M. B. Chestnutt
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, Co. Down BT26 6DR Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland The Queen's University of Belfast
Get access

Abstract

Two experiments involving 213 finishing lambs were carried out to examine the responses in growth rate and carcass composition to the addition ofmetabolizable energy (ME) to a mixed diet in theform ofeither grass silage concentrate. In the second experiment the performance of lambs offered silage only was also compared at equal intake with the performance of lambs given mixed diets. On average the silages contained 224 g dry matter (DM) per kg; 148 g crude protein (CP) per kg DM; 86 g ammonia-nitrogen per kg total nitrogen and 723 g digestible organic matter per kg DM. Concentrates were based on barley and soya-bean meal and contained 181 g CP per DM. Responses in carcass weight gain when additional ME was added to mixed silagelconcentrate diets in theform ofgrass silage and concentrates were 9·2 and 10·2 (s.e. 0·90) gIM] respectively in experiment 1 and 9·8 and 10-(s.e. 0·33) g/MJ respectively in experiment 2, and responses in energy retention in experiment 2 were 0·34 and 0-(s.e. 0·012) MJ/M] respectively. However carcass gain and energy retention sustained by a silage only diet were only 0·67 and 0·70 respectively of those sustained by a high-concentrate diet at the same ME intake. The diet did not significantly affect body or carcass composition.

Keywords

concentratesgrowthmetabolizable energylambssilage
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Science , Volume 67 , Issue 3 , December 1998 , pp. 503 - 512
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1998

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

Bailey, C. B. 1989. Rate and efficiency of gain from weaning o t slaughter, of steers given hay, hay supplemented with rumen degradable protein or concentrate. Canadian ]ournal ofAnimal Science. 69: 691–705.Google Scholar
Baker, R. D., Young, N. E. and Laws, J. A. 1992. The effect of diet in winter on the body composition of young steers and subsequent performance during the grazing season. Animal Production 54: 211–219.Google Scholar
Baldwin, R. L., Lucas, H. L. and Cabrera, R. 1970. Energetic relationships in the formation and utilization of fermentation end products. In Physiology of digestion and metabolism in the ruminant (ed. Phillipson, A. T.), pp. 319–334Oriel Press, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.Google Scholar
Beever, D. E., Dawson, J. M. and Buttery, P. J. 1992. Control of fat and lean deposition in forage-fed cattle. In The control offat and lean deposition (ed. Buttery, P. J., Boorman, K. and Lindsay, D. B.), pp. 211–229. Butterworth, Heinemann.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Black, H. and Chestnutt, D. M. B. 1992. Effect of shearing and level of concentrate feeding on the performance of finishing lambs. Animal Production. 54: 221–228.Google Scholar
Campling, R. C. 1970. Physical regulation of voluntary intake. In Physiology of digestion and metabolism in the ruminant (ed. Phillipson, A. T.), p. 226. Oriel Press, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.Google Scholar
Chestnutt, D. M. B. 1992. Supplementation of silage-based diets for finishing lambs. Animal Production. 55: 137–145.Google Scholar
Fitzgerald, J. J. 1987. Finishing of store lambs on silage-based diets. 5. Effect of supplementing silage with barley, pelleted dried grass or molasses/soyabean meal on silage intake and lamb performance. Irish Journal of Agricultural Research. 26: 153–164.Google Scholar
Jenkins, T. C. and Thonney, M. L. 1988. Effect of propionate level in a volatile fatty acid salt mixture fed to lambs on weight gain, body composition and plasma metabolites. Journal of Animal Science. 66: 1028–1035.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johnston, S. D. 1995. The effects of genotype and nutrition on lamb production. Ph.D. thesis, The Queen's University of Belfast.Google Scholar
Keane, M. G. and Drennan, M. J. 1980. Effects of diet type and feeding level on performance, carcass composition and efficiency of Friesian steers serially slaughtered. Irish Journal of Agricultural Research. 19: 53–66.Google Scholar
Kirkpatrick, D. E., Steen, R. W. J. and Unsworth, E. F. 1997. The effect of differing forage: concentrate ratio and restricting feed intake on the energy and nitrogen utilization by beef cattle. Livestock Production Science. 51: 151–164.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lonsdale, C. R. 1976. Effects of season of harvest on the utilization by young growing beef cattle of dried grass given alone or as a supplement to silage. Ph.D. thesis, University of Reading.Google Scholar
McDonald, P. and Edwards, R. A. 1976. The influence of conservation methods on digestion and utilisation of forages by ruminants. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society. 35: 201–211.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ørskov, E. R., Hovell, F. D. and Allen, D. M. 1966. Utilization of salts of volatile fatty acids by growing sheep. 2. Effect of stage of maturity and hormone implantation on the utilization of volatile fatty acid salts as sources of energy for growth and fattening. British Journal of Nutrition. 20: 307–315.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ørskov, E. R. and McDonald, I. 1970. The utilization of dietary energy for maintenance and for fat and protein deposition in young growing sheep. In Energy metabolism of farm animals (ed. Schürch, A. and Wenk, C.), European Association for Animal Production publication 13, pp. 121–124.Google Scholar
Ørskov, E. R. and McLeod, N. A. 1990. Dietary-induced thermogenesis and feed evaluation in ruminants. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 49: 227–237.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Reynolds, C. K., Tyrrell, H. F. and Reynolds, P. J. 1991. Effects of diet forage to concentrate ratio and intake on energy metabolism in growing beef heifers: net nutrient metabolism by visceral tissues. Journal of Nutrition. 121: 1004–1015.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rompola, R. E., Haagland, T. A. and Meister, J. A. 1990. Modifications in growth and morphology of ovine jejunal and ruminal epithelia as affected by inert dietary substances. Journal of Animal Science. 68: 2530–2535.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sheehan, W. and Fitzgerald, J. J. 1977. Effects of method of herbage conservation on performance of store lambs. Journal of Agricultural Research 16: 83–94.Google Scholar
Steen, R. W. J. 1989. A comparison of soyabean, sunflower and fish meals as protein supplements for yearling cattle offered grass silage-based diets. Animal Production. 48: 81–89.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Steen, R. W. J. 1994. Effects of forage: concentrate ratio in the diet and restricted dry matter intake on the performance and carcass composition of steers. Animal Production 58: 443 (abstr.).Google Scholar
Steen, R. W. J., Dawson, L. E. R., Lavery, N., Kirkpatrick, D. E. and Johnston, S. J. 1998. Effect of grass silage: concentrate ratio in the diet of beef cattle and lambs on efficiency of utilization of metabolisable energy for growth. In Energy metabolism of farm animals. Proceedings of the 14th symposium on energy metabolism farm animals (ed. McCracken, K. J., Unsworth, E. F. and Wylie, A. R. G.), pp. 375–378. CAB International.Google Scholar
Steen, R. W. J. and Moore, C. A. 1988. A comparison of silage-based and dried forage-based diets for finishing beef cattle. Animal Production. 47: 29–37.Google Scholar
Steen, R. W. J. and Robson, A. E. 1995. Effects of forage to concentrate ratio in the diet and protein intake on the performance and carcass composition of beef heifers. Journal of Agricultural Science 125: 125–135.Google Scholar
Thomas, P. C., Kelly, N. C., Chamberlain, D. G. and Wait, M. K. 1980. The nutritive value of silages. Digestion of organic matter, gross energy and carbohydrate constituents in the rumen and intestines of sheep receiving diets of grass silage or grass and barley. British Journal of Nutrition. 43: 481–489.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Thomas, C., Gibbs, B. G., Beever, D. E. and Thurnham, B. R. 1988. The effect of date of cut and barley substitution on gain and on the efficiency of utilization of grass silage by growing cattle. British Journal of Nutrition. 60: 297–306.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tyrrell, H. F., Thomson, D. J., Waldo, D. R., Goering, H. K. and Haaland, G. L. 1992. Utilization of energy and nitrogen by yearling Holstein cattle fed direct-cut alfalfa or orchardgrass ensiled with formic acid plus formaldehyde. Journal of Animal Science 70: 3163–3177.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Unsworth, E. F. 1981. The composition and quality of grass silages made in Northern Ireland—an analysis of seven years results (1973·1979). Record of Agricultural Research in Northern Ireland. 29: 91–97.Google Scholar
Weiss, R. L., Baumgardt, R., Barr, G. R. and Brungardt, V. H. 1967. Some influences of rumen volatile fatty acids upon carcass composition and performance in growing and fattening steers. Journal of Animal Science. 26: 389–393.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed