Estimation of Energy Value and Digestibility and Prediction Equations for Sheep Fed with Diets Containing Leymus chinensis Hay

Hewei Chen, Fengliang Xiong, Qichao Wu, Weikang Wang, Zhaoyang Cui, Fan Zhang, Yanlu Wang, Liangkang Lv, Yingyi Liu, Yukun Bo, Luotong Zhang and Hongjian Yang ()
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Hewei Chen: State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Fengliang Xiong: State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Qichao Wu: State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Weikang Wang: State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Zhaoyang Cui: State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Fan Zhang: State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Yanlu Wang: State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Liangkang Lv: State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Yingyi Liu: State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Yukun Bo: Zhangjiakou Animal Husbandry Technology Promotion Institution, Zhangjiakou 075000, China
Luotong Zhang: Center of International Cooperation Service, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing 100125, China
Hongjian Yang: State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China

Agriculture, 2023, vol. 13, issue 6, 1-16

Abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate the feeding value of sheepgrass, including its chemical composition, dry matter intake, nutrient digestibility, and available energy, as well as the prediction equations of dry matter intake (DMI), neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDFD), dry matter digestibility (DMD), digestible energy (DE), and metabolizable energy (ME). Two independent experiments based on a completely randomized experimental design were performed to evaluate the feeding value. The results showed that there were significant relationships between chemical composition and DMI, digestibility, and available energy. The best-fit equations were as follows: DMI (g/d·W 0.75 ) = 121.75 + 0.06CP (%) − 0.24EE (%) − 0.10ADF (%) − 0.60NDF (%) − 0.15OM (%) (R 2 = 0.85, p < 0.01), DMD (%) = −1.37 + 0.23CP (%) + 2.96EE (%) + 0.32ADF (%) − 0.82NDF (%) + 1.27OM (%) (R 2 = 0.83, p < 0.01), NDFD (%) = 225.58 − 0.59CP (%) + 0.04EE (%) + 0.09ADF (%) − 2.46NDF (%) + 0.12OM (%) (R 2 = 0.67, p < 0.01), DE (MJ/kg) = −5.19 + 0.38OM (%) − 0.26NDF (%) − 0.03ADF (%) + 0.16CP (%) (R 2 = 0.91, p < 0.01), and ME (MJ/kg) = 5.55 + 0.67DE (MJ/kg) + 0.01CP (%) − 0.01ADF (%) − 0.08NDF (%) + 0.02OM (%) (R 2 = 0.98, p < 0.01). This study found the energy value of sheepgrass to be 11 MJ/kg, which is similar to that of millet grass silage. The NDF was the main component that affected DMI and digestibility. Using a hay replacement ratio of 28.5% to determine the forage value of sheepgrass allowed accurate prediction equations to be established. The NDF demonstrated the strongest correlation with DMI, NDFD, OMD, DE, and ME. DE was estimated to be the best single predictor of ME.

Keywords: Leymus chinensis; prediction equation; sheep (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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