Research Article Open Access

Effect of Particle Size and Fragility of Corn Silage and Alfalfa Hay on Intake, Digestibility, Performance, and Chewing Activity of Fattening Male Lambs

Abstract

Particle size, digestibility, and fragility of ration influence physically effectiveness of fiber but their correction procedures and effects in fattening lambs have not been studied well. The experiment evaluated the effects of these factors on effectiveness and performance of fattening lambs. Using three cannulated Zel ewes, DM, NDF and CP ruminal degradation was determined. Also, after 240h ruminally incubation, indigestible (iNDF) and potential digestible NDF (pdNDF) were determined. Ration NDF, iNDF and pdNDF were 34.28% DM, 58.31 and 41.69% of NDF, respectively. Using a complete randomize design, 24 Iranian Zel male fed ad libitum twice daily at 0830 and 2030h over 90 days with a basal concentrate plus: 1) Short corn silage with long alfalfa hay (SLC), 2) Long corn silage with short alfalfa hay (LSC), and 3) Short corn silage with short alfalfa hay (SSC) as treatments. On days 30, 60, and 90, the lambs were weighed and at day 90 were slaughtered. Reduction of particle size reduced the fragility index, increased DMI, ADG, reduced digestibility of NDF, eating and ruminating time. The intake of DM, peNDF>8 and peNDF>1.18, fragile DM and NDF, and unfragile DM and NDF explained 74.23, 87.06, 69.45, 74.24, 9.11, 94.41and 62.81% of variation in chewing activity, respectively. Unfragile DM was the best predictor of chewing. Using peNDF>1.18 intake and fragile DM in a linear model explained maximum (95.41%) of variation in chewing activity. Therefore, combination of particle size and fragility in rations can estimate its effectiveness because there is a positive relationship between NDF digestibility and fragility and NDF fragility may be more useful in adjusting peNDF values than a direct measure of digestibility.

Zali S M, Teimouri Yansari A, Jafari Sayyadi A

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