Comparitive Digestibility Of Cattle versus Sheep: Effect of Forage Quality

Chapter III Comparative Digestibility of Different Types of Forage by Cattle and Sheep Abstract Five yearling English crossbred steers and 5 yearling whiteface wethers each fitted with a ruminal cannula were randomly assigned to one of the three forage sources in an incompletely replicated 6 x 6 Latin square design experiment. The treatment structure was arranged in a 2 x 3 factorial with ruminant species (2) and forage source (3) as the factors. Forage sources were: 1) alfalfa hay; 2) warm-season grass hay mix; and 3) Lovegrass hay. Steers and wethers consumed similar amounts of forage and its components, and intake (P<0.05) was more influenced by forage quality than ruminant specie. When expressed per unit of metabolic BW (P<0.05), cattle consumed more DM, fiber and CP than sheep. Steers and wethers digested similar amounts of nutrients for two of the forages. Total tract digestibility was influence by specie x diet interactions (P<0.05). Sheep and Cattle were similar in the digestion of nutrients from alfalfa and grass hay. Cattle digested lovegrass significantly better than sheep. Site and extent of digestion by steers and wethers was similar (P