Effects of chemically treated, recycled newsprint on feed intake and nutrient digestibility by growing lambs

In situ experiments and two lamb digestion trials were conducted to evaluate the effects of chemically treating recycled newsprint (NP). Treatment of NP with 2% HCl (percentage of NP DM) followed by autoclaving for 4 h was most efficacious and was used in an in vivo digestion trial with 25 ram and wether lambs in a randomized complete block design (RCB). On a DM basis treatment diets were: 1) control, 95% alfalfa hay (AH); 2) 75% AH, 20% HCl-treated NP (HCl-NP); 3) 55% AH, 40% HCl-NP; 4) 75% AH, 20% untreated NP; and 5) 55% AH, 40% untreated NP on a DM basis. Lambs fed Treatments 2 and 3 had ad libitum DMI (1,043 and 1,036 g/d, respectively) similar to the DMI of those fed the control treatment (1,024 g/d); however, lambs fed Treatments 4 and 5 had lower (P < .05) ad libitum DMI (578 and 426 g/d, respectively) than lambs fed Treatments 1, 2, and 3. Apparent DM digestibilities were lower (P < .05) by lambs consuming Treatments 2, 3, 4, and 5 (52.6, 44.5, 52.0, and 48.2%, respectively) than by those consuming Treatment 1 (60.7%). Apparent OM, CP, NDF, and ADF digestibilities followed trends similar to DM. In the second digestion trial, 15 ram and wether lambs were used in a RCB to compare Treatments 1, 2, and 3. For this second digestion study, NP was treated with 4% HCl (percentage of NP DM), autoclaved for 4 h, and diets were fed at 2% of BW. As in Trial 1, apparent nutrient digestibilities decreased (P < .05) with increasing amounts of HCl-NP. Our results suggest that HCl-NP can be fed to sheep at 40% of the diet without a decrease in DMI; however, apparent nutrient digestibility decreases with increasing levels of HCl-NP.