Effect of levels of molasses supplementation on intake, digestion and liveweight change of sheep fed with urea-treated barley straw at high ambient temperature
2004
Marsetyo((Universitas Tadulako, Palu (Indonesia)))
This experiment was designed to examine the possibility of soluble carbohydrate lacking in the barley straw which was given to the sheep. A different levels of molasses in the dry matter (DM) of urea-treated barley straw was given to sheep at 40 +- 3 deg. C and relative huminity was set at 40-50 percent for 7 weeks period. Sixteen Merino sheep were fed a basal diet of chaffed barley straw with one of 4 levels of molasses supplements: (1) 0 percent (control), (2) 6 percent, (3) 12 percent, and (4) 18 percent. All diets were supplemented with 2 percent urea, minerals and vitamins. Feed was offered at 09.00 and 16.00 h daily and drinking water was available at all times. Total dry matter intake (TDMI) and water intake (WI) increased progressively with increasing levels of molasses, from 505 +- 18 g/d and 3.05 +- 0.07 L/d respectively in the controlled sheep to 621 +- 9 g/d and 4.15 + - 0.36 L/d, respectively in those receiving diet with 18 percent molasses. However, the straw dry matter intake (SDMI) was not affected by molasses supplementation while the average SDMI observed was 498 +- 24 g/d. Total dry matter digestibility (DMD) increased above controlled levels only in the 12 percent and 18 percent molasses treatments. However, straw DMD was not affected by the 6 percent or 12 percent levels of molasses supplementation. For diet with 18 percent mollases, the estimated SDMD declined to 37.9 percent. Total digestible dry matter intake (TDDMI) followed a similar pattern to TDMI, with a progressive increase in response to increasing levels of molasses supplementation. Increasing the level of molasses supplementation resulted in a reduction in the rate of live weight losses (P less than 0.05, from 76 +- 15 g/d in control to 58 +- 21, 47 +- 10 and 10 +- 6 g/d respectively at the 6, 12 and 18 percent levels of molasses supplementation.
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