Performance of animals fed crop residues

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Agricultural Chemistry

Background:

• Ruminants utilize crop residues for energy, but low digestibility due to high cell walls and lignin limits productivity.
• Chemical treatments, particularly sodium hydroxide, enhance crop residue digestibility by solubilizing hemicellulose.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of chemical treatments, specifically sodium hydroxide, in improving the nutritional value of crop residues for ruminants.
• To compare different chemical treatment systems and their impact on digestibility and animal performance.

Main Methods:

• Two chemical treatment systems were developed: pelleting with sodium hydroxide and an "on-the-farm" method.
• In vitro and in vivo digestibility trials were conducted using treated crop residues.

Main Results:

• Sodium hydroxide treatment increased in vitro and in vivo digestibility by 10-20 percentage units.
• Lamb and cattle gains generally improved with treated residues, but performance sometimes lagged behind in vitro predictions.
• Increased rate of passage and reduced rumen fiber digestion were observed with sodium hydroxide-treated residues.

Conclusions:

• Chemical treatment, especially with sodium hydroxide, effectively enhances crop residue digestibility for ruminants.
• Alfalfa supplementation and alternative hydroxides (ammonium, calcium) show promise for improving treatment outcomes.