Effects of grass mixture cultivated in light, moderate and serious alkali-saline grassland on rumen fermentation, feed digestibility and nitrogen balance in sheep

Abstract

Abstract: The objective was to evaluate effects of grass mixture cultivated in light, moderate and serious alkali-saline grassland on rumen fermentation, feed digestibility and nitrogen balance in sheep. Twelve first filial generation (F1) sire growing-fattening sheep of a cross between Chinese Inner Mongolian Fine-wool and German Mutton Merino, averaging 5.0 months of age and 34.6±0.57 kg of body weight (BW), were arranged into four groups at random. Sheep in control group fed concentrate and corn silage, while sheep in treatment I, Ⅱ and III fed concentrate and grass mixture (Elymus dahuricus, Puccinellia distans and Astragalus adsurgens) cultivated in light, moderate and serious alkali-saline grassland, respectively. Sheep were fed 600 g concentrate daily and rough forage provided ad libitum. The results showed that ruminal pH in treatment I and II was lower than the control and treatment III, whereas total VFA concentration was higher than control (P<0.05). Molar proportion of propionate, butyrate, valerate, isobutyrate and isovalerate in treatments was higher than control, but molar proportion of acetate and the ratio of acetate to propionate in treatments were lower than control (P<0.05). Intake of DM and OM were not affected, but NDF intake in treatment III was higher than other groups, ADF intake in treatment II and III was higher than control (P<0.05). Digestibilities of DM, OM, NFE and energy in treatment III was lower than treatment II and I, treatment II and I lower than control. Digestibilities of CP, EE, NDF and ADF were significantly affected by treatments, treatment III, II, I and control is in turn from low to high. Intake of nitrogen in treatment III and II was lower than control and treatment I. Nitrogen retained and ratio of nitrogen retained to digestible nitrogen was significantly affected by treatments, treatment III, II, I and control is in turn from low to high. The results indicated that feeding grass mixture cultivated in light and moderate alkali-saline grassland potentially improves rumen fermentation, but decreased feed digestibility and nitrogen utilization in sheep. Rumen fermentation, feed digestibility and nitrogen balance were affected negatively in sheep fed grass mixture cultivated in serious alkali-saline grassland alone.

CLC Number:

WANG Cong, LIU Qiang, DONG Kuan-hu, ZHAO Xiang, LIU Sheng-qiang,
HE Ting-ting, LIU Zhuang-yu. Effects of grass mixture cultivated in light, moderate and serious alkali-saline grassland on rumen fermentation, feed digestibility and nitrogen balance in sheep[J]. Acta Prataculturae Sinica, 2010, 19(5): 38-44.

References

[1] Youssef K M, Fahmy A A, Essawy A M E, et al. Nutritional studies on Pennisetum americanum and Kochia indica fed to sheep under saline conditions of Sinai, Egypt[J]. American-Eurasian Journal of Agricultural & Environmental Science, 2009, 5(1): 63-68.
[2] Food and Agriculture Organization. FAO Land and Plant Nutrition Management Service[EB/OL]. (2008). http://www.fao.org/ag/agl/agll/spush.
[3] Flowers T J, Yeo A R. Breeding for salinity resistance in crop plants: Where next[J]. Australian Journal of Plant Physiology, 1995, 22(6): 875-884.
[4] Hassan M, Shaer E I. Halophytes as cash crops for animal feeds in arid and semi-arid regions[A]. In: ztürk M, Waisel Y, Khan M A, et al. Biosaline Agriculture and Salinity Tolerance in Plants[M]. Switzerland: Birkhuser Verlag, 2006.
[5] 山仑, 徐炳成. 黄土高原半干旱地区建设稳定人工草地的探讨[J]. 草业学报, 2009, 18(2): 1-2.
[6] Masters D, Norman H, Dynes R. A mix of plants lifts feed value from saline land[J]. Farming Ahead, 2002, 130: 40-42.
[7] Norman H C, Dynes R A, Masters D G. Nutritive value of plants growing on saline land[A]. In: Proceedings of the 8th National Conference and Workshop on the Productive Use and Rehabilitation of Saline Lands (PUR$L)[C]. Fremantle, Western Australia, 2002: 59-69.
[8] Loch D S, Barrett-Lennard E, Truong P. Role of salt tolerant plants for production, prevention of salinity and amenity values[A]. In: Proceedings of the 9th National Conference of Productive Use of Saline Lands (PUR$L)[C]. Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia, 2003: 1-16.
[9] Warren B E, Bunny C J, Bryant E R. A preliminary examination of the nutritive value of four saltbush (Atriplex) species[J]. Proceedings of the Australian Society of Animal Production, 1990, 18: 424-427.
[10] 李勇, 郝正里, 李发弟, 等. 不同组合饲粮对绵羊消化代谢的影响[J]. 草业学报, 2009, 18(1): 112-117.
[11] 张仁平, 于磊, 鲁为华. 混播比例和刈割期对混播草地产量及品质影响的研究[J]. 草业科学, 2009, 26(5): 139-143.
[12] Mashhady A H, Sayed H I, Heakal M S. Effect of soil salinity and water stresses on growth and content of nitrogen, chloride and phosphate of wheat and triticale[J]. Plant and Soil, 1982, 68(2): 207-216.
[13] Cheeke P R. In Natural Toxicants in Feeds, Forages and Poisonous Plants[M]. Danville, IL: Interstate Publishers Inc., 1998: 479.
[14] Dakheel A A, Hadrami G A, Shoraby S A, et al. The potential of salt-tolerant plants and marginal resources in developing an integrated forage-livestock production system[C]. Proceedings, 2nd International Salinity Forum: Salinity, Water and Society-global Issues, Local Action. Adelaide Convention Centre, Adelaide, Australia, 2008: 1-4.
[15] 祁娟, 徐柱, 王海清, 等.旱作条件下披碱草属植物叶的生理生化特征分析[J]. 草业学报, 2009, 18(1): 39-45.
[16] Jacobson D R, Lindahl I L, McNeill J J, et al. Feedlot bloat studies II. Physical factors involved in the etiology of frothy bloat[J]. Journal of Animal Science, 1957, 16(2): 515-524.
[17] Melaku S, Peters K J, Tegegne A. Microbial nitrogen supply, nitrogen retention and rumen function in Menz sheep supplemented with dried leaves of multipurpose trees, their mixtures or wheat bran[J]. Small Ruminant Research, 2004, 52(1-2): 25-36.
[18] 杨胜. 饲料分析及饲料质量检测技术[M]. 北京: 北京农业大学出版社, 1996: 16-35.
[19] Liu Q, Wang C, Huang Y X, et al. Effects of Lanthanum on rumen fermentation, urinary excretion of purine derivatives and digestibility in steers[J]. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 2008, 142(1-2): 121-132.
[20] Van Soest P J, Robertson J B, Lewis B A. Methods for dietary fiber, neutral detergent fiber and non-starch polysaccharides in relation to animal nutrition[J]. Journal of Dairy Science, 1991, 74(6): 3583-3597.
[21] 袁缨. 动物营养学实验教程[M]. 北京: 中国农业大学出版社, 2006: 66-78.
[22] Duffield T, Plaizier J C, Fairfield A, et al. Comparison of techniques for measurement of rumen pH in lactating dairy cows[J]. Journal of Dairy Science, 2004, 87(1): 59-66.
[23] Russell J B, Wilson D B. Why are ruminal cellulolytic bacteria unable to digest cellulose at low pH?[J]. Journal of Dairy Science, 1996, 79(8): 1503-1509.
[24] Thomas D, Blache D, Revell D, et al. The impact of high dietary salt and its implications for the management of livestock grazing saline land[EB/OL]. (2007-08-15). http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/PC_91959.html.
[25] 王聪, 黄应祥, 刘强, 等. 硫酸铜对西门塔尔牛瘤胃发酵和尿嘌呤衍生物含量的影响[J]. 草业学报, 2008, 17(1): 80-84.
[26] 刘强, 黄应祥, 苗朝华, 等. 日粮添加赛乐硒对西门塔尔牛瘤胃发酵和尿嘌呤衍生物含量的影响[J]. 草业学报, 2007, 16(3): 101-107.
[27] 王聪, 刘强, 董群, 等. 日粮补充苹果酸对牛瘤胃发酵和养分消化代谢的影响[J]. 草业学报, 2009, 18(3): 224-231.
[28] Satter L D, Slyter L L. Effect of ammonia concentration on rumen microbial protein production in vitro[J]. British Journal of Nutrition, 1974, 32(2): 199-208.
[29] Aufrère J, Graviou D, Demarquilly C. Ruminal degradation of protein of cocksfoot and perennial ryegrass as affected by various stages of growth and conservation methods[J]. Animal Research, 2003, 52(2): 245-261.
[30] Warren B E, Casson T. Saltbush quality and sheep performance[A]. In: Proceedings of a Workshop on Productive Use of Saline Land[C]. Perth, Western Australia, 1992: 71-74.