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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2012, Vol. 21 ›› Issue (5): 47-54.

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Mixed silage of potato pulp and corn straw affects growth performance, ruminant environments and blood biochemical parameters of mutton sheep

WANG Dian1,2, LI Fa-di1, ZHANG Yang-dong2, BU Deng-pan2, SUN Peng2, ZHOU Ling-yun2   

  1. 1.College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China;
    2.State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition/Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
  • Received:2012-03-28 Online:2012-05-25 Published:2012-10-20

Abstract: This study was conducted to determine the effects of mixed silage with potato pulp and corn straw on growth performance and blood biochemical parameters of mutton sheep. 40 healthy White-Suffolk cross sheep with body weight of (47.45±6.38) kg were randomly allocated into 4 treatments with 10 replicates per treatment and 1 sheep per replicate. The feeding trial lasted 70 days. Four treatment included: 1)control group (Ctrl), 40% basal diet +60% corn silage; 2) test group 1 (S15), 40% basal diet +45% corn silage+15% mixed silage; 3) test group 2 (S30), 40% basal diet +30% corn silage+30% mixed silage; 4) test group 3 (S45), 40% basal diet +15% corn silage+45% mixed silage; The result showed that the averaged daily gain of S45 group was increased by 14.29% compared with Ctrl group (P<0.05). No significant differences were observed in the dry matter intake (P>0.05). The ammonia-N content was significantly decreased in S15, S30 and S45 groups than that in Ctrl group by 18.92% (P<0.01), 30.17% (P<0.01) and 33.03% (P<0.01), respectively. No significant differences were observed in acetate content, propionate content, butyrate content, acetate percentage, propionate percentage, butyrate percentage, the ration of acetate to propionate and the ration of acetate to propionate and butyrate (P>0.05). On the zero, twentieth and fortieth day of the trial, no significant differences were observed in serum total protein (P>0.05). On the sixtieth day of the trial, the serum urea nitrogen content was significantly increased in S15 and S45 groups than that in S30 and Ctrl group (P<0.05). On the sixtieth day of the trial, the serum glucose contents of S45 group was improved compares with the other three groups (P<0.05). In conclusion, the mixed silage with potato pulp and corn straw can increase serum urea nitrogen content and decrease the ammonia-N content of mutton sheep. Therefore, the study suggests that it is feasible when mixed silage with potato pulp and corn straw replaced 75% yellow corn silage in the mutton sheep diet.

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