Cristina Saro1, Javier Mateo2, Sonia Andrés1, Iván Mateos1,3, María José Ranilla1,3, Secundino López1,3, Alba Martín3, Francisco Javier Giráldez1. 1. Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña, CSIC-Universidad de León, Finca Marzanas s/n, Grulleros, 24346 León, Spain. 2. Departamento de Higiene y Tecnología de los Alimentos, Universidad de León, Campus Vegazana, s/n, 24071 León, Spain. 3. Departamento de Producción Animal, Universidad de León, Campus Vegazana, s/n, 24071 León, Spain.
Abstract
Thirty-six Assaf male lambs (29.4 ± 3.10 kg body weight (BW)) were used to study the feasibility of including urea (at 0, 0.6 or 0.95% of dry matter for Control, Urea1, and Urea2 diets, respectively) in substitution of soybean meal in fattening diets. Animals were individually penned and feed intake was recorded daily. Blood samples were taken at days 35 and 63 of the experimental period to determine the acid-base status and the biochemical profile. At the end of the experiment (nine weeks), lambs were slaughtered, ruminal contents were collected and carcass and meat quality were evaluated. There were not differences (p > 0.05) among treatments in dry matter intake, animal performance, ruminal fermentation pattern, and carcass and meat parameters. Serum albumin concentration was higher and concentration of HCO3 and total CO2 in blood were lower in Urea2 compared to Urea1 and Control lambs. These results, together with the tendency to lower (p = 0.065) blood pH in this group might suggest a moderate metabolic acidosis. Partial replacement of soybean meal with urea did not impair growth rate in heavy fattening Assaf lambs (from 29 to 50 kg body weight), reduced feeding costs and had no adverse effects on feed efficiency, rumen fermentation and carcass and meat quality.
Thirty-six Assaf male lambs (29.4 ± 3.10 kg body weight (BW)) were used to study the feasibility of including n>an class="Chemical">urea (at 0, 0.6 or 0.95% of dry matter for Control, Urea1, and Urea2 diets, respectively) in substitution of soybean meal in fattening diets. Animals were individually penned and feed intake was recorded daily. Blood samples were taken at days 35 and 63 of the experimental period to determine the acid-base status and the biochemical profile. At the end of the experiment (nine weeks), lambs were slaughtered, ruminal contents were collected and carcass and meat quality were evaluated. There were not differences (p > 0.05) among treatments in dry matter intake, animal performance, ruminal fermentation pattern, and carcass and meat parameters. Serum albumin concentration was higher and concentration of HCO3 and total CO2 in blood were lower in Urea2 compared to Urea1 and Control lambs. These results, together with the tendency to lower (p = 0.065) blood pH in this group might suggest a moderate metabolic acidosis. Partial replacement of soybean meal with urea did not impair growth rate in heavy fattening Assaf lambs (from 29 to 50 kg body weight), reduced feeding costs and had no adverse effects on feed efficiency, rumen fermentation and carcass and meat quality.
Authors: Teguh Wahyono; Mohammad Miftakhus Sholikin; Yusuf Konca; Taketo Obitsu; Sadarman Sadarman; Anuraga Jayanegara Journal: Vet World Date: 2022-02-15