Supplementation of wheat straw with multinutritional blocks: effects on the digestibility of straw and interest for dry ewes and growing lambs.

Two blocks characterized by the presence of olive cake in the first block ( BMN1) and dropping of poultry in the second block (BMN2) were compared with a classical concentrate (C). The BMN1 or BMN2 blocks were characterized by a high mineral matter (26-31 %) and crude protein (21-22 %) level. In vitr o digestibility of the two blocks were different, advantaging the BMN2 bloc k. These blocks, fed with straw (P) to adult sheep, dry ewes and growing la mbs, improved straw ingestibility in similar quantities compared to the con centrate. Straw supplemented with the BMN1 block or BMN2 block increased th e ad libitum intake by 21 % in contrast to straw without supplement. Straw in vivo digestibility war increased by the supplementation with the blocks. Ration nitrogen balance (P+BMN2) with 30.0 % was higher compared to ration (P+BMN1) with 27.0 % and similar to the ration (P+C). The (P+BMN2) ration allowed better results with dry ewes (5.9 g per day) and with growing lambs (105 g per day). The (P+BMN1) ration allowed one weight gain to 83 g per d ay and reduced the live weight of 8.4 g per day with dry ewes. The ration c ontaining the BMN1 block and BMN2 block enabled a saving of, respectively. 13.6 and 16.7 % on the feeding cost per day with dry ewes and 12 and 23 % o n the feeding cost per kg of weight gain with growing lambs compared to the ration containing the concentrate. ((C) Elsevier / Inra).