APPARENT DIGESTIBILITY OF DIETS WITH COMBINATIONS OF SOYBEAN HULLS AND COASTCROSS (Cynodon sp.) HAY OFFERED TO RAM LAMBS

Soybean hulls (SH) are an alternative fiber source that may be used to maintain neutral detergent fiber (NDF) concentration while increasing the energy concentration of ruminant diets. The objective of this experiment was to determine the effects of replacing coastcross (Cynodon sp.) hay NDF by SH NDF on the apparent digestibility of nutrients and nitrogen balance of Santa Ines ram lambs. Twenty-four animals (42.5 +/- 3.6 kg of body weight and six months old) were placed in metabolism crates and assigned in a randomized complete block design defined by body weight (BW). Experimental diets provided a similar concentration of NDF (52%) and crude protein (15%). Hay NDF from a 70% roughage-based diet was replaced with SH NDF by 33%, 67%, and 100%, resulting in 0, 25, 52, and 77% of SH in the dietary dry matter (DM), respectively. There was a linear increase (p < 0.01) on dry matter and organic matter (OM) intakes expressed as kg day(-1) and % of BW, with SH inclusion. The OM digestibility showed a quadratic effect (p < 0.05) with SH inclusion while crude protein digestibility showed a linear decrease (p < 0.0001). A quadratic effect was also observed for NDF (p < 0.05) and acid detergent fiber (p < 0.01) digestibilities. The N retentions, as % of N consumed and % of N absorbed, resulted in quadratic effects (p < 0.05) with SH addition. There was no effect (p > 0.05) on water intake when SH replaced hay. The SH can replace forage and may be included up to 77% in the dietary DM of ram lambs with satisfactory values of nutrient digestibilities.