Utilization of composted caged-Iayer waste (CCLW) in diets for pregnant ewes fed with cereal straw was evaluated. Five diets, containing 0, 5.72, 11.37, 23.80 and 32.69% CCLW in a 5 x 5 latin square desing were used. Water intake, feed intake and feces were measured. Nitrogen balance and digestibility lar dry malter, crude protein, acid detergent liber (ADF), neutral detergent liber (NDF), organic malter, hemicellulose and minerals were calculated. Forty pregnant ewes in the third and last gestational period were assigned dietary treatments containing 0, 11.25,22.08 and 31.26% CCLW in a complete randomized designo The measures were; ewe weight, lamb birth weight and wool growth. A ewe with rumlnal cannula was assigned to each treatment. These ewes were adapted to diets lar a 7 days period and the ruminal samples were collected at 0, 3, 9, and 12 hr post feeding. Cannulated ewes were rotated through each treatment pen in a 4 x 4 latin square designo Ph, volatile lalty acid, ammonia and protozoa were evaluated. Dry malter apparent digestibility decreased as the level of CCLW increased (P < 0.05). Crude protein, N.D.F., A.D.F., hemicellulose, organic malter and total ash apparent digestibility and nitrogen balance did not differ between treatments (P < 0.05). Propionic acid concentration increased as the level of CCLW increased (P < 0.05). Daily body weight gain of ewes, lamb birth weight and wool growth did not differ (P < 0.05). The results show that CCLW is a satisfactory source of supplement nitrogen far gestating ewes. |
ChileanJAR
