Effects of Formaldehyde Treatment of Sunflower and Soybean Meal on Nitrogen Balance in Lambs

Abstract

Sunflower meal (SFM) and soybean meal (SBM) were compared as supplementary nitrogen sources in nitrogen balance trials with wethers. In vitro rumen microbial and enzymatic degradation studies coupled with in vivo nitrogen balance studies were used to evaluate the effect of treating SFM and SBM with varying levels of formaldehyde. Treating SBM with 0.5% formaldehyde reduced protein release by pepsin pancreatin 50%; however, 4% formaldehyde was required to affect protein release from SFM appreciably. Wethers fed diets supplemented with SFM retained a significantly higher percentage of dietary nitrogen than wethers fed diets supplemented with SBM. Excretion of fecal nitrogen increased and urinary nitrogen decreased significantly when SBM was treated with 1.1% formaldehyde. Treating SFM with 1.1% formaldehyde did not affect excretion of fecal or urinary nitrogen by wethers. Percentage dietary nitrogen retained tended to increase when SBM and SFM were treated with 0.25 and 1.33% formaldehyde, respectively. Treatment of SBM with 0.50 or 0.75% formaldehyde and SFM with 2.66 or 3.99% formaldehyde tended to decrease percentage dietary nitrogen retained and urinary nitrogen excretion but increased fecal nitrogen excretion. Copyright © 1974. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1974 by American Society of Animal Science