Nutritional quality of wet distillers’ grains co–ensiled with whole–plant maize and its feeding value for lambs

Conceptualization: van Niekerk, W.A.; Hassen, A. Data acquisition: Moyo, R. Data analysis: Coertze, R.; Moyo, R.; Hassen, A.; Adejoro, F.A. Design of methodology: van Niekerk, W.A.; Hassen, A.; Moyo, R. Writing and editing: Moyo, R.; Adejoro, F.A.; Hassen, A.; van Niekerk, W.A.; du Toit, C.J.L.The high moisture content of wet distillers’ grains with solubles (WDGS) has limited its feeding value despite the relatively high nutritive value. The co–ensiling with whole–plant maize, as a complementary feed, was evaluated for growing lambs by formulating diets whose contents were: whole plant maize silage (WPMS) + sunflower oilcake meal (SOM) (control, WPMS + SOM), whole plant maize silage + dried distillers’ grains (WPMS + DDGS), and whole–plant maize (WPM) co–ensiled with WDGS (WPM – WDGS). Rumen fermentation parameters and in situ degradability of the diets were evaluated using three cannulated Merino wethers in a cross over 3 × 3 Latin square design experiment that lasted 39 days. Concurrently, feed intake and growth performance of South Africa Mutton Merino lambs (29.7 ± 3.6 kg) were evaluated over 45 days. The WPMS + DDGS diet had a lower rate of dry matter degradation (p < 0.05) compared to the WPMS + SOM and WPM–WDGS diets. However, the rapidly fermentable fraction, as well as the progressively fermentable fraction of the diet dry matter, was not different (p > 0.05). No differences in rumen volatile fatty acid, ammonia nitrogen concentration nor rumen pH of the wethers as a result of diet differences were observed. Lambs consuming the WDGS–based diet had a lower average daily intake and average daily gain (p < 0.05) compared to lambs consuming the DDGS and WPMS–based diets. However, the feed conversion ratio was not affected by diet differences (p > 0.05). In conclusion, co–ensiling WDGS with whole–plant maize provides the opportunity for the long–term storage and utilization of WDGS in lamb feeding.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_serial&pid=0103-9016&lng=en&nrm=isoam2023Animal and Wildlife Science