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Apparent digestibility, rumen fermentation and nitrogen balance in Tibetan and fine-wool sheep offered forage-concentrate diets differing in nitrogen concentration

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 May 2015

J. W. ZHOU ,
J. D. MI ,
A. A. DEGEN ,
X. S. GUO ,
H. C. WANG ,
L. M. DING ,
Q. QIU  and
R. J. LONG
J. W. ZHOU
Affiliation:
State Key Laboratory of Grassland and Agro-Ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, People's Republic of China International Centre for Tibetan Plateau Ecosystem Management, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, People's Republic of China
J. D. MI
Affiliation:
International Centre for Tibetan Plateau Ecosystem Management, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, People's Republic of China School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, People's Republic of China
A. A. DEGEN
Affiliation:
Desert Animal Adaptations and Husbandry, Wyler Department of Dryland Agriculture, Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel
X. S. GUO
Affiliation:
International Centre for Tibetan Plateau Ecosystem Management, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, People's Republic of China School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, People's Republic of China
H. C. WANG
Affiliation:
State Key Laboratory of Grassland and Agro-Ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, People's Republic of China International Centre for Tibetan Plateau Ecosystem Management, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, People's Republic of China
L. M. DING
Affiliation:
International Centre for Tibetan Plateau Ecosystem Management, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, People's Republic of China School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, People's Republic of China
Q. QIU
Affiliation:
School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, People's Republic of China
R. J. LONG*
Affiliation:
State Key Laboratory of Grassland and Agro-Ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, People's Republic of China International Centre for Tibetan Plateau Ecosystem Management, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, People's Republic of China School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, People's Republic of China
*
*To whom all correspondence should be addressed. Email: longrj@lzu.edu.cn
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Summary

A comparative study of the effect of dietary nitrogen (N) content [Low: 11·0; Medium-Low (MLow): 16·7; Medium-High (Mhigh): 23·1; High: 29·2 N g/kg dry matter (DM)] on apparent digestibilities, rumen fermentation and N balance was conducted in coarse wool Tibetan sheep and Gansu Alpine fine-wool sheep at Wushaoling in the northeast of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. It was hypothesized that responses would differ between breeds and that responses would favour Tibetan over fine-wool sheep at low N intakes. Eight wethers [four Tibetan sheep and four fine-wool sheep, 20–24 months old; body weight ± standard deviation was 52 ± 3·2 kg] were used in two concurrent 4 × 4 Latin square designs. Dry matter, organic matter, neutral detergent fibre and acid detergent fibre digestibilities were higher in Tibetan than fine-wool sheep when fed the Low, MLow and High N diets while N retention was higher when the animals were fed the Low and MLow N diets. Tibetan sheep had a higher rumen pH than fine-wool sheep; however, total volatile fatty acids were similar between breeds. Molar proportions of acetate were higher but propionate and butyrate lower in Tibetan than fine-wool sheep. In addition, Tibetan sheep had higher concentrations of ruminal free amino acid-N and soluble protein-N than fine-wool sheep. Plasma and saliva urea-N concentrations were higher in Tibetan than fine-wool sheep when supplied with the Low N diet. It was concluded that Tibetan sheep were better able to cope with low N feed than fine-wool sheep because of the higher N retention and higher DM and fibre digestibilities with Low and MLow diets.

Type
Animal Research Papers
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 153 , Issue 6 , August 2015 , pp. 1135 - 1145
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Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 

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