ISHS Acta Horticulturae 811: VI International Congress on Cactus Pear and Cochineal
POTENTIAL USE OF SPINELESS CACTUS CLADODES AS A SOURCE OF SOLUBLE CARBOHYDRATES AND WATER FOR SHEEP ON ATRIPLEX NUMMULARIA FOLIAGE |
| Authors: | S. Abidi, H. Ben Salem |
| Keywords: | barley, spineless cactus cladodes, distribution time, digestion, sheep |
| Abstract:
We investigated the replacement value of cactus for barley and the effect of the distribution time (morning vs. afternoon) of water and supplements (i.e. barley and cactus) on intake, digestion and microbial nitrogen supply in sheep. Sixteen Barbarine wethers (9 months of age, average live weight: 29 kg) were allotted into four equal groups and housed in individual boxes. They received freshly cut Atriplex nummularia L. foliage ad libitum and barley or freshly cut Opuntia ficus-indica f. inermis cladodes as feed supplements. The two first groups were given water and barley or cactus in the morning (8.00h) whereas the two other groups received these supplements in the afternoon (14:00h). Atriplex intake was high among dietary treatments averaging 700 g dry matter per day. It was not affected (P>0.05) neither by the supplement type nor by the time of the distribution. Wethers on cactus-diet consumed less drinking water (P<0.01) than those receiving barley-diet (1.5 vs. 2.3 l/d). The distribution of cactus in the afternoon increased apparent digestibilities of organic matter, crude protein and cell wall (NDF). The consumption of cactus in the morning decreased slightly diet digestibility (P<0.05). The replacement of barley by cactus increased digestible crude protein intake (P<0.01). Glycaemia was not affected by the supplement type and the distribution time. Sheep receiving barley in the afternoon had the lowest urea concentration in the plasma. It is concluded that the replacement of barley by cactus had no effect on diet intake and organic matter, crude protein and cell wall digestibilities of atriplex-based diets. Supplementing wethers on atriplex with cactus in the afternoon would improve diet digestibility. | |
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