ACTA VETERINARIA ET ZOOTECHNICA SINICA ›› 2015, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (3): 407-415.doi: 10.11843/j.issn.0366-6964.2015.03.009

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Effects of Different Feeding Levels on Digestion and Metabolism of Meat Ewes during Non-pregnancy and Lactation

LOU Can,JIANG Cheng-gang,MA Tao,JI Shou-kun,CHEN Dan-dan,DENG Kai-dong,TU Yan,ZHANG Nai-feng,DIAO Qi-yu*   

  1. (Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology of Ministry of Agriculture,Feed Research Institute,Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences,Beijing 100081,China)
  • Received:2014-06-18 Online:2015-03-23 Published:2015-03-23

Abstract:

Utilizing the gradient method,this experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of different feeding levels on digestibility of main nutrients in Dorper × Small-tailed Han crossbred ewes during non-pregnancy and lactation.Fifteen healthy ewes were selected for estrus synchronization,after parturition,these ewes were assigned into 3 groups according to the weight with randomized block design,one group in ad libitum feeding,and the other 2 groups in eighty percents (80%) or sixty percents (60%) of ad libitum feeding.In addition,nine non-pregnant ewes at the same age and breed were selected into blank group.Digestibility trials were performed on the 20,50 and 80 day of lactation,to determine the digestion characteristic of main nutrients.The results showed that the apparent digestibilities of neutral detergent fiber(NDF),acid detergent fiber (ADF) and nitrogen(N) of non-pregnant and lactating ewes significantly increased with decreasing feeding levels (P<0.05).There was a declining trend in milk nitrogen with decreasing feeding levels (P>0.05),but it significantly decreased with lactation progress (P<0.05).The nitrogen retention (RN),RN/NI (nitrogen intake) and RN/DN (digested nitrogen) decreased significantly with the decreasing feeding levels (P<0.05).The apparent digestibilities of nitrogen in lactation were significantly higher than that in non-pregnancy (P<0.05),what is more,there was a declining trend with lactation progress.The apparent digestibilities of nitrogen during the period of non-pregnancy,20,50 and 80 day of lactation were 45.21%-51.34%,73.72%-82.71%,72.79%-80.51%,73.57%-76.47%,respectively.Feeding levels significantly influence the main nutrient digestion and excretion of Dorper × Small-tailed Han crossbred ewes during non-pregnant and lactating (P<0.05).Lactation significantly improves the digestion and utilization of nutrients (P<0.05).

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