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Regulation of Food Intake in Ruminants. 8. Caloric Density of Diets for Young Growing Lambs

Animal Nutrition Laboratories, Department of Animal Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park 16802

ABSTRACT

This study extended observations on diet dilution made earlier with older lambs (energy demand 206 kcal/W_kg^.75) to younger lambs with a higher energy demand (266 kcal). A basal diet was diluted 20, 30, 40, and 50% with sawdust. Each of the four diluted diets was fed ad libitum to two replicate pens of four lambs each. Digestibility data were obtained with eight similar lambs. Lambs were accustomed to pelleted sawdust-containing diets prior to weaning and were placed on experiment after weaning at an average age of 75 days and a body weight of about 25 kg. Digestible energy of the diets decreased from 2.9 to 1.9 kcal/g or from 4.2 to 2.6 kcal/ml while digestible energy intake decreased from 266 to 125 kcal/W_kg^.75 as sawdust increased 20 to 50%. Average daily gains for the penned lambs were lower on the 40 and 50% dilutions (.16 and .14 kg) than for the 20 and 30% dilutions (.25 and .24 kg). Applicability of a previously developed model for relating caloric density (kcal/ ml) of the diet to energy intake is discussed. Pelleted diets must contain at least 4.03 kcal/ml to allow young lambs to meet an energy demand of 266 kcal/W_kg^.75 whereas a diet containing at least 3.5 kcal/ ml will allow older lambs to meet an energy demand of 213 kcal/W_kg^.75.