Intake, nutrient digestibility, rumen fermentation and water kinetics of sheep fed Dichanthium annulatum grass hay- tree leaves diets

摘要

In4separatefeedingtrials,4adultmaleMuzzafarnagarisheep(meanweightof26.8±2.0kg)werefedmixturesofDichanthiumannulatum(DA)grassandleavesofHelictrisisora(HI),Securenegiavirosa(SV),Leucaenaleucocephala(LL)andHardwickiabinnata(HB),in75:25ratios(DMbasis)for90daysoneachdiet.Feedintake,nutrientutilization,rumenmetabolitesandrumenwaterkineticsweremeasured.nbsp;LLhadhighestCPconcentration(20.6%)andHBthelowestCP(11.2%)ofthetreeleaves,whilegrassrangedfrom4.4to5.4%acrossthefeedingtrials.Drymatterintakewashigher(P0.05)onDA-HI(3.3%bodyweightand74.0g/kgW0.75)thanonotherdiets.DM,CP,NDF,ADFandcellulosedigestibilitywashigher(P0.05)onDA-HIandDA-SVthanDA-HBdiet.FaecalNlosswas(P0.05)higheronDA-LLandDA-HB,whileurinaryNexcretionwas(P0.05)moreonDA-HIdiet.SheepwasinnegativeNbalanceonDA-HBdiet.Mealsize(g/h,%bodywt/handg/kgw0.75/h)washigher(P0.05)onDA-HIandDA-SVthanDA-HBdiet.Eatingrate(g/h)washigheronDA-HIdietandlowestonDA-HBfor1stand4thhofeating.Inthelast7and17hoffeedingsheepeatingratewasmoreonDA-LLandlowestonDA-HB.nbsp;TVFAandNmetabolitesconcentrationwashigher(P0.05)onDA-LLthanotherdiets.Outflowrate(l/d)wasmoreinsheeponDA-HIthanotherdiets,whilerumenvolumewascomparable(P0.05)ondiets.nbsp;Resultsrevealedthatsheephadhigherintake,morenutrientsdigestibilityandoptimumrumenmetabolitesconcentrationonDA-HIandDA-SVdietswhilefeedingofDA-HBdietlowerednutrientsdigestibilityandrumenmetabolitesproductioninsheep