The Influence of Varied Cellulose and Nitrogen Levels upon Ration Digestibility and Nitrogen Balance of Lambs Fed Semipurified Rations
- 1 June 1958
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Elsevier in Journal of Nutrition
- Vol. 65 (2), 235-250
- https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/65.2.235
Abstract
Lambs were fed semipurified rations containing one of three levels of cellulose (21.4, 31.4 or 41.6%) and one of three nitrogen levels (1.65, 2.05 or 2.45%). Cellulose and nitrogen levels were varied by substituting a purified source of cellulose and protein for cornstarch. Increasing the cellulose levels significantly and linearly increased cellulose and ether extract digestibility; decreased the digestibility of organic matter, nitrogen-free extract and reduced percentage of total digestible nutrients, and was without significant effect upon the apparent nitrogen digestibility. Increasing nitrogen levels significantly and quadratically influenced the digestibility of organic matter, cellulose, nitrogen-free extract, nitrogen and the percentage of total digestible nutrients. The digestibility of nitrogen was not further increased by increasing ration nitrogen from 2.05 to 2.45%; the digestibility of the other nutrients in rations containing 2% of nitrogen was significantly higher than in rations containing either 1.65 or 2.45% of nitrogen. The influence of cellulose upon the digestibility of organic matter in semipurified rations was shown to be due both to its diluting effect (upon easily digestible components) and to its depressive effect upon the digestibility of non-cellulose organic matter. This depressive effect is approximately one-fourth that reported for natural type rations. This is interpreted as supporting the “envelopment” concept of depressed nutrient digestibilities with increasing cellulose concentration. Increased cellulose levels significantly increased daily urinary nitrogen and decreased daily nitrogen balances.Keywords
This publication has 14 references indexed in Scilit:
- The Effect of Varying Levels of Protein and Cerelose on the Utilization of Mature Timothy Hay by SheepJournal of Animal Science, 1956
- The nutritive value of roughages for sheep I. The relationship between the gross digestible energy and the chemical composition of haysThe Journal of Agricultural Science, 1955
- The effect of quality and quantity of carbohydrate and protein in the ration of the sheep on the digestibility of cellulose and other constituents of the ration, with a note on the effect of adding vitamins of the B-complex on the digestibility and retention of the nutrients of a hay rationThe Journal of Agricultural Science, 1953
- Estimation of the Digestibility of Feeds from their Proximate CompositionJournal of Animal Science, 1951
- Some Relationships between Chemical Composition, Nutritive Value, and Intake of Forages Grazed by Steers and WethersJournal of Animal Science, 1950
- The Influence of Casein upon Roughage Digestion in Cattle with Rumen Bacteriological StudiesJournal of Animal Science, 1950
- The relationship between the crude-fibre content of pasture and other feeding-stuffs and their digestibility and starch equivalentThe Journal of Agricultural Science, 1949
- The Effect of Added Glucose upon the Digestibility of Protein and of Fiber in Rations for SheepJournal of Nutrition, 1942
- Pasture Studies XVI the Nutritive Values of Kentucky Blue Grass, Red Top and Brome GrassJournal of Nutrition, 1940
- The Effect of Cane Molasses on the Digestibility of a Complete Ration Fed to Dairy CowsJournal of Dairy Science, 1925