Effects of dietary supplementation with distiller dried grain with solubles in growing lambs on growth, nutrient digestibility and rumen parameters

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the effects of distiller dried grains with solubles (DDGS) incorporated to the concentrate ration in growing lambs on weight growth, food consumption and efficiency, nutrient digestibility and some rumen parameters. After a 15 days long adaptation period, the 2.53 month old male Tuj lambs were divided into 3 equal groups of 6 lambs each according to the proportions of DDGS (0, 10 and 20%) added to the concentrate in substitution of soybean meal. Food intake, weights and weight gains, food efficiency were recorded for 50 days then in the last week of the experimental period, nutrient digestibility rates were determined by collecting total faeces, and pH, concentrations of ammonia and volatile fatty acid were measured in ruminal fluid. Dietary DDGS addition has exhibited negative effects neither on growth performance, food intake of forage or concentrate and food efficiency nor on rumen parameters. However, the digestibility rates of dry and organic matters and of crude proteins were significantly depressed when 10% DDGS were used. These results show that DDGS at 20% can be used as a protein source in the growing lamb diet.