Page 32 - Effects of dried citrus pulp on nutrient intake, nitrogen balance and growth performance in Lohi lambs

Nitrogen Metabolism

Ariza et al. (2001) evaluated the effect of hominy-based diet and dried citrus pulp
based diet in cattle. They used hominy feed at the level of 25% and dried citrus pulp at the

level of 23% of dietary treatment. The hominy based diet contained 33.2% NDF, 17.9%

CP, 8.8% NDSF and 35.9% neutral detergent-soluble carbohydrates (NDFC) on DM basis
while dried citrus pulp based diet had 34.7% NDF, 17.2% CP, 14.4% NDSF and 33.7%

NDFC on DM basis. They observed that ammonia N concentration was higher for hominy
diet as compared to citrus pulp diet because CP degradation was higher for hominy feed.

They did not observe any difference in total N, microbial N, non-ammonia N and dietary
N flow. They concluded that microbial protein synthesis was higher in cows provided citrus

pulp diet as compared to hominy diet because dried citrus pulp provided optimum

conditions for microbial utilization of other carbohydrates.

Fonseca et al. (2001) studied the effect of inclusion of maize and citrus pulp with

urea treated wheat straw on nitrogen metabolism of female lambs. In an experiment, they
supplemented 50 g fishmeal and 0, 100, 200 and 300 g maize per kg of diet on DM basis

with wheat straw. In another experiment, they added 50 g fishmeal and 0, 100, 200 and 300

g citrus pulp per kg of diet on DM basis along with wheat straw. The results of these
experiments showed that urinary N excretion increased linearly by increasing the level of

both maize and citrus pulp. They reported that urinary N excretion directly related to DM
intake and OM digestibility.

Kim et al. (2007) planned a study to check the effect of dried citrus pulp

supplementation on nitrogen utilization in young steers. They compared the effect of dried
citrus pulp alone and dried citrus pulp supplemented with urea, expeller soybean meal and

solvent soybean meal on N intake and digestibility. They reported that the supplementation
of dried citrus pulp with soya-based supplements improved the N intake and digestibility.

Ammerman et al. (1972) performed an experiment to evaluate the effect of DCP on

nitrogen balance. They selected twenty-four wethers having average weight 45.5 kg. Four
types of experimental diets were formed. First having pangolagrass hay, second hay plus

125 g cottonseed meal and third hay plus 135 g of a supplement congaing biuret while diet
four was without biuret having citrus pulp in it. Six wethers were randomly allotted to every

experimental diet. Experiment lasted for 32 days and animals were fed ad libitum.

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