Effects of Incremental Urea Supplementation on Rumen Fermentation, Nutrient Digestion, Plasma Metabolites, and Growth Performance in Fattening Lambs

• DOI: 10.3390/ani9090652
• Publication Date: 2019-09-05T07:22:36Z
• Authors: Yixuan Xu; Zhipeng Li; Luis E. Moraes; Junshi Shen; Zhongtang Yu; Weiyun Zhu
• Keywords: Digestion; Neutral Detergent Fiber

This study investigated the effects of partially substituting soybean meal (SBM) with incremental amount urea on rumen fermentation, nutrient digestion, plasma metabolites, and growth performance in fattening lambs. Seventy male lambs were sorted into two blocks according to body weight (BW) assigned one five dietary treatments a randomized block design: SBM at 170 g/kg dry matter (DM) or reduced (40 DM) plus 0, 10, 20, 30 g urea/kg DM. Compared receiving diet, fed diet had higher (p < 0.01) concentrations ruminal ammonia, concentration ammonia also increased linearly increasing supplementation. Linear quadratic crude protein (CP) intake digestibility observed addition diet. The blood nitrogen (BUN) (linear, p 0.01; quadratic, final BW, DM (DMI), average daily gain (ADG), efficiency similar ≥ 0.42) between group urea-supplemented groups. However, DMI ADG quadratically ≤ 0.03) 10 resulting highest ADG. results this demonstrated that could substitute 130 per kg feed without any adverse effect health when high concentrate