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SOYHULL FIBER AND ALFALFA PROTEIN FOR RUMINANTS
Abstract
Effects of pelleting whole soybean hulls on fiber digestion and the use of soybean hulls as an energy supplement were evaluated. In a lamb digestion trial corn, whole soyhulls, ground soyhulls and five different types of pelleted whole soyhulls were compared. There were no differences in dry matter (DM) intake and digestibility or neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestibility among the soyhull pellets. Digestibility predicted (in vitro) for NDF (54.9%) of the corn diet was higher than observed NDF digestibility (32.22%), while for all other diets little difference existed. Gain, for steers grazing fall bromegrass, and supplemented with corn or soyhulls was not different from that of unsupplemented steers. In a summer bromegrass grazing trial, cattle given corn, pelleted ground soyhulls or pelleted whole soyhulls gained faster (.77 kg/d) than those not supplemented (.60 kg/d). Corn supplementation was not different from soyhull supplementation. Calves grazing cornstalks and supplemented with corn or whole soyhulls out-performed calves not supplemented with energy. Several alfalfa products were evaluated as protein sources for ruminants in two steer calf growth trials and a lamb metabolism study. Efficiency of protein utilization was measured for products from the wet-fractionation of alfalfa and compared to soybean meal and dehydrated alfalfa. Daily gains were greater (P < .01) for diets containing natural protein and greater (P < .01) for diets containing alfalfa protein than diets containing soybean meal protein. Protein from pressed alfalfa was utilized as efficiently as protein from dehydrated alfalfa. In a lamb metabolism trial, diets supplemented with soybean meal, presscake, presscake + brown juice or wilted dehydrated alfalfa had higher DM digestibilities than the urea diet (P < .01). Brown juice addition to presscake prior to dehydration increased DM digestibility when diets equal in presscake fiber were fed (P < .01). Natural protein addition increased (P < .10) rate of digestion of potentially digestible NDF. In the second calf growth trial natural protein supplementation increased (p < .01) daily gain. Protein efficiency of sun-cured alfalfa was at least equal to wilted dehydrated alfalfa and superior to soybean meal.
Subject Area
Livestock
Recommended Citation
MERRILL, JOHN K, "SOYHULL FIBER AND ALFALFA PROTEIN FOR RUMINANTS" (1984). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI8427909.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI8427909