2015 Volume 86 Issue 3 Pages 325-334
Digestive function and nutrient metabolism were determined in sheep to establish feeding management of whole crop rice silage in the view of efficient use of arable land and improvement of self-sufficiency. Four adult sheep were assigned to three dietary treatments in an incomplete Latin square design for three 21-d periods. The control diet (Hay diet) consisted of mixed hay and concentrate (7 : 3 ratio) at 120% of maintenance energy. Mixed hay was replaced by grain-type and leaf-type whole crop rice silage as GS diet and LS diet, respectively. Nitrogen (N) balance, retention time of digesta, rumen fermentation characteristics, microbial N supply (MNS), turnover rates of plasma glucose and leucine were determined. Although ruminal turnover rate of concentrate was higher (P < 0.05) for GS diet and was lower (P < 0.05) for LS diet than for Hay diet, MNS, turnover rates of plasma glucose and leucine did not differ among the dietary treatments. In conclusion, nutrient metabolism in sheep fed both grain-type and leaf-type whole crop rice silage was comparable to sheep fed hay, although a part of digestive function was influenced.
