A NOTE ON THE NUTRITIVE-VALUE OF ULVA-LACTUCA FOR RUMINANTS

An experiment was designed to test the value of Ulva lactuca, produced from an integrated mariculture project, using six Finn-Merino crossbr ed ram lambs. Diets consisted of concentrate with vetch hay for the co ntrol, with additional Ulva for the treatment diet. Measurements of di gestibility of energy, volatile fatty acid concentration in the rumen fluid, effective degradability of nitrogen in the rumen, rumen ammonia concentration and excretion of nitrogen in urine all indicated that U lva could be categorized as a low-energy high-nitrogen foodstuff.