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Energy and protein utilization of lucerne hay and barley grain by yearling camel calves

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

A. N. Bhattacharya
Affiliation:
Range and Animal Development Research Center, Sakaka, Al-jouf Ministry of Agriculture and Water, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
S. Al-Mutairi
Affiliation:
Range and Animal Development Research Center, Sakaka, Al-jouf Ministry of Agriculture and Water, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
A. Hashimi
Affiliation:
Range and Animal Development Research Center, Sakaka, Al-jouf Ministry of Agriculture and Water, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
S. Economides
Affiliation:
Range and Animal Development Research Center, Sakaka, Al-jouf Ministry of Agriculture and Water, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Abstract

Two trials were conducted with eight yearling camels with an average intial body weight of 300 kg, to evaluate protein and energy values of lucerne hay and barley grains. In each trial, eight animals were randomly allotted to two different dietary treatments of coarsely ground lucerne hay or lucerne hay + barley grain (50:50) in such a way that two animals in each of the two blocks received the same ration. Each trial consisted of a 10-day preliminary period followed by a 7-day collection period during which total urine and faeces collections were made, and samples were processed and composited for later analysis.

All animals consumed daily an average of about 5 kg food divided in two equal meals. The apparent digestibility coefficients for organic matter, crude protein, neutral-detergent fibre and cellulose of the lucerne hay ration improved respectively from 0·615, 0·662, 0·455 and 0·555 to 0·736, 0·655, 0·547 and 0·589, as a result of incorporating 500 g/kg barley grain in place of hay in the diet. Even though there was no difference in the proportion of nitrogen retained relative to intake, the proportion of nitrogen retained relative to that absorbed was higher (P < 0·05) in the lucerne + barley group (0·769) than in the lucerne-only group (0·747). On a dry-matter basis, the feeding value in camels of digestible protein (g/kg), total digestible nutrients (g/kg), digestible energy (MJ/kg), metabolizable energy (MJ/kg), net energy maintenance (MJ/kg), net energy lactation (MJ/kg) and net energy gain (MJ/kg) were respectively 118, 552, 10·0, 8·4, 5·4, 5·0 and 2·1 for lucerne hay and 80, 800, 14·6, 12·1, 8·4, 8·8 and 5·0 for barley grain (calculated by difference).

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1988

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