Effect of increasing levels of white mulberry leaves (Morus alba) on ruminal dry matter degradability in lambs

• Published in: Tropical animal health and production 2011-06, Vol.43 (5), p.995-999
• Main Authors: Salinas-Chavira, Jaime, Castillo-Martínez, Omar, Ramirez-Bribiesca, J. Efren, Mellado, Miguel
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal Feed - analysis; Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Animals; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Catheters; Diet; Diet - veterinary; Digestion; Dry matter; Feedlots; Glycine max; Grain; Life Sciences; Male; Mexico; Morus - metabolism; Original Research; Plant Leaves - metabolism; Rumen - metabolism; Sheep, Domestic - metabolism; Sorghum; Soybeans; Tropical environments; Veterinary Medicine/Veterinary Science; Zoology
• ISSN: 0049-4747; 1573-7438
• DOI: 10.1007/s11250-011-9797-1

A study was conducted to estimate dry matter (DM) degradability in the rumen of lambs offered a basal soybean meal and sorghum grain diet with three levels of white mulberry (WM) leaves ( Morus alba ). Diets consisted of 90% concentrate and 10% sorghum straw, which was incrementally replaced by WM leaves at 0% (control diet, T1), 2.5% (T2), and 5% (T3) of the total ration. Crude protein (CP) in WM was 21.8% (DM basis). Diets had equal CP (14% DM basis) and metabolizable energy (10.8 MJ/kg DM) content. Three non-castrated Pelibuey male lambs fitted with permanent rumen cannula were utilized in a 3 × 3 Latin square design. Each experimental period consisted of 10 days of adaptation followed by sampling. DM degradability was determined using the nylon bag technique. Bags contained the experimental diets offered in each period and were incubated in rumen in pairs for 4, 8, 12, 24, and 48 h. The potential degradation was higher ( P