Effects of increasing the inclusion level of Atriplex amnicola in the diet of sheep
M. B. P. Kumara Mahipala A B , G. L. Krebs C E , P. McCafferty D and K. Dods DA School of Agriculture and Environment, Curtin University of Technology, Northam, WA 6401, Australia.
B Present address: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
C EH Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation (NSW Department of Primary Industries and Charles Sturt University), School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2678, Australia.
D ChemCentre, 125 Hay Street, East Perth, WA 6004, Australia.
E Corresponding author. Email: gkrebs@csu.edu.au
Animal Production Science 49(11) 1029-1034 https://doi.org/10.1071/EA08279
Submitted: 17 November 2008 Accepted: 25 May 2009 Published: 14 October 2009
Abstract
The effects of increasing the level of inclusion of fresh Atriplex amnicola Paul G.Wilson foliage in an oaten chaff (Avena sativa L.) diet fed to sheep were investigated. Six experimental diets were formulated to contain varying amounts [0, 161, 362, 496, 650 and 836 g/kg diet dry matter (DM)] of A. amnicola, and these diets were fed to individually penned sheep according to a Latin square design. Feed and faecal samples were analysed for crude protein, neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre, acid detergent lignin, and ash contents. Mineral contents and 24 h in vitro gas production were measured in freeze-dried feed samples. As the level of inclusion of A. amnicola increased, digestibility of DM, organic matter and neutral detergent fibre increased (P < 0.05), reaching the peak at the 496 g/kg DM inclusion level and then decreasing (P < 0.05) thereafter. Acid detergent fibre digestibility followed a similar trend, but peak digestibility was at 362 g/kg DM inclusion level. Digestibility of crude protein continued to increase (P < 0.05) with increasing inclusion of A. amnicola. Gas production (24 h) from A. amnicola was lower (P < 0.05) than that from oaten chaff (24.4 v. 45.3 mL/200 mg DM) and also had lower metabolisable energy content (in vitro ME, 6.3 v. 8.6 MJ/kg DM). As the level of inclusion of A. amnicola in the diet increased, gas production and in vitro metabolisable energy content decreased (P < 0.05). The 496 g/kg DM inclusion level provided the optimum N : energy ratio for fermentation of dietary fibre. At this level of inclusion the diet was rich in Na, Ca, P, Mg, K, S, Mn and Zn. High inclusion levels improved the crude protein value of the diet but compromised fibre digestibility.
Additional keywords: digestibility, nutritive value, river saltbush.
Acknowledgements
The study was funded by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC), Chemistry Centre (WA), and Curtin University of Technology.
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