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The utilization of ammonia-treated whole wheat grain by young steers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

Susan G. Low  and
R. C. Kellaway
Susan G. Low
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Husbandry, The University of Sydney, Camden, NSW 2570, Australia
R. C. Kellaway
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Husbandry, The University of Sydney, Camden, NSW 2570, Australia
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Abstract

Wheat grain was given whole (W), cracked (C) or ammonia-treated (N) as the sole diet to six steers. In Expt 1, W, C and N were given at the rate of 2·1 kg per head per day. In Expt 2, W and N were given at the rate of 7·35 kg per head twice weekly; feeding of C had to be abandoned due to frequent bloat. Dry-matter digestibility was 0·79, 0·86 and 0·88 on W, C and N in Expt 1 and 0·75 and 0·83 on W and N in Expt 2.

The digestibility of neutral detergent fibre was 0·37, 0·24 and 0·57 with diets W, C and N respectively in Expt 1 and 0·27 and 0·47 with diets W and N in Expt 2.

The quantity of whole grain voided in faeces (g/kg grain fed) was 122, 3 and 31 with W, C and N in Expt 1 and 136 and 51 with W and N in Expt 2. Voided grains had a lower ratio of cr-glucose: neutral detergent fibre than grains fed, which indicated partial digestion of starch. Rates of nitrogen retention (g/day) were 6·6, 9·4 and 9·8 with W, C and N in Expt 1 and 7·2 and 12·2 with W and N in Expt 2.

It was concluded that ammonia-treated whole wheat grain is utilized as efficiently as cracked wheat grain when given as a sole diet to cattle and results in fewer digestive disturbances than cracked wheat grain.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 37 , Issue 1 , August 1983 , pp. 113 - 118
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1983

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References

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