Page 24 - Effects of dried citrus pulp on nutrient intake, nitrogen balance and growth performance in Lohi lambs

while animals of other group were offered 21% DCP and 9% corn. Both TMRs also
contained 6.5% soya bean meal, 14% extruded full fat soya bean, 28% corn silage, 19.5%

legume haylage, minerals and vitamins. They observed higher nutrient digestibility in cows
fed TMR having 21% DCP than those offered TMR having 10% DCP. Digestibility in

animals fed 10% DCP might be low because of high starch ingestion of that diet due to

which the ruminal cellulolytic population could not digest NDF in forage and DCP
effectively.

Scerra et al. (1994) conducted a study on nutritive value of Sicilian fodders and by-
products and in vivo digestibility and estimation of the energy value of DCP in rams. The

rams were fed DCP and soybean meal ad libitum. They reported significant effect of DCP

on nutrient digestibility in rams. Same results were observed by Madrid et al. (1996) who
reported better nutrient digestibility of DCP as concentrate energy source in goats when fed

along with Alfalfa hay in 50:50 proportions on DM basis and compared with those fed

100% Alfalfa hay on DM basis. This might be due to presence of rapidly digestible NDF
and cellulose present in DCP compared with Alfalfa hay. Brown and Johnson (1991) also

reported significant effects of DCP on nutrient digestibility in steers.

Ben-Ghedalia et al. (1989) evaluated the effect of DCP on nutrient digestibility in

rams. Rams were fed two diets A and B as the diet A had 84.4% DCP of dietary DM
whereas diet B had 76.5% barley grains along with 20.4% DCP of dietary DM. Results

revealed non-significant effects on OM digestibility whereas NDF digestibility was higher
in rams fed diet A and CP digestibility was higher in rams fed diet B. This might be due to

high fiber energy sources, which enhanced NDF digestibility when compared to

supplements with more highly soluble carbohydrate sources like grains (MacGregor and
Owen, 1976). Hernández et al. (2012) performed an experiment on goats they fed them

TMRs having 0, 10, 20 and 30% DCP. They found a significant effect of DCP level to

OMD and DMD. They reported that with the increase in DCP level of diet the digestibility
increases.

Highfill et al. (1987) observed the effect of DCP on nutrient digestibility in non-
lactating Angus cows. There were four non-lactating Angus cows having weight ranging

from 375-500 kg fitted with ruminal cannulae. Three types of concentrates i.e. Soya hulls,
corn gluten feed and DCP were used as feed ingredients. They offered TMR having ground

fescue hay at a level of 750 g/kg of DM and 250 g/kg of DM as concentrate. Results showed

18