Effects of corn processing and dietary fiber source on feedlot performance, visceral organ weight, diet digestibility, and nitrogen metabolism in lambs
S. Hejazi et al., Effects of corn processing and dietary fiber source on feedlot performance, visceral organ weight, diet digestibility, and nitrogen metabolism in lambs, J ANIM SCI, 77(3), 1999, pp. 507-515
In Exp. 1, early-weaned Targhee and Polypay crossbred lambs (60 ewes and 66
rams; initial BW 24 +/- 1.0 kg) were used in a 2 x 3 factorial experiment
to determine the effects of corn processing (whole shelled corn [WSC] or gr
ound and pelleted corn [GC]) in combination with supplemental fiber (none [
control]; soybean hulls, SBH [highly digestible]; or peanut hulls, PH [high
ly indigestible]) on DMI, ADG, feed efficiency, and visceral organ weight.
For the total trial, WSC resulted in a 4% increase (P < .01) in ADG vs GC,
and supplemental fiber resulted in increased (P < .01) DMI and ADG vs the c
ontrol diet. Experiment 2 was conducted using 12 Targhee and Polypay crossb
red wether lambs (initial BW 25 +/- 7 kg) to determine the effects of corn
processing and fiber source in high-concentrate diets on diet digestibility
and N retention using the same diets as in Exp. 1. Lambs fed WSC had great
er (P < .001) apparent N digestion, true N digestion, and N retention(P < .
01) than those fed GC. The apparent digestibilities of DM, OM, and NDF were
greater (P < .001) for WSC than for GC diets. Peanut hulls resulted in dec
reased (P < .01) DM, OM, and NDF apparent digestibilities compared with the
control and SBH diets. Starch digestion was not affected (P > .10) by diet
. Whole corn resulted in improved DM, OM, NDF, and N digestibility compared
with GC. Overall, both the SBH and PH diets resulted in greater DMI and AD
G than the control diet, which lacked supplemental fiber.