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Feather meal and escape protein liquid suspensions for growing ruminants
Abstract
Cattle growth studies were conducted to determine the effect of feeding liquid suspensions of rumen escape protein mixed in a complete diet or fed in a lick tank. Blood meal, meat meal, corn gluten meal and feather meal were suspended in liquid supplements with Attapulgite clay or xanthan gum. Gain and efficiency of gain were improved when rumen escape proteins suspensions were fed compared to urea liquid supplements in three studies. Intake was also improved for the blood meal and blood meal with meat meal liquid suspensions compared to urea when fed in a lick tank (p $<$.01). Data indicated that similar gain and efficiency of gain was obtained when supplements were fed in a lick tank or a complete diet when intake was properly limited. In situ, digestion and growth studies were conducted to evaluate the protein value of feather meal. The in situ bypass protein value for feather meal was 69.1% which was less than blood meal (82.8%) and corn gluten meal (80.4%; P $<$.05), but greater than soybean meal (26.6%; P $<$.05). Amino acid content of the protein sources was similar before and after 12 h of ruminal in situ digestion (P $>$.10). In a growth study protein efficiency was similar for blood meal and feather meal (P $>$.10). Combining feather meal with blood meal or blood meal with corn gluten meal tended to improve protein efficiency. Estimated amino acid flow to the small intestine indicated that feather meal was a source of bypass sulfur amino acids that may be complemented by blood meal. In situ, digestion and growth studies were conducted to determine the affect of adding blood to feather meal. Adding blood to feathers before the feathers were hydrolyzed reduced rumen in situ protein escape and protein digestion compared to adding blood to feathers after hydrolysis (P $<$.10). In a calf growth study, protein efficiency was highest for blood meal and a combination of blood meal and feather meal compared to feather meal or soybean meal (p $<$.05). Amino acid flow to the small intestine based on in situ amino acid degradation suggested that the complementary effect observed in the growth study for feather meal and blood meal was due to blood meal supplying lysine and feather meal supplying sulfur amino acids. These data indicate that liquid suspensions of escape protein can improve growing calf performance above that of liquid urea. Lick tanks may be a viable means of self feeding liquid supplements if intake can be properly controlled. Finally hydrolyzed feather meal is a source of rumen escape protein that is highly digestible.
Subject Area
Livestock
Recommended Citation
Goedeken, Frank Klaus, "Feather meal and escape protein liquid suspensions for growing ruminants" (1989). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI8918550.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI8918550