PSX-13 - Effects of supplementing sugar-based byproducts on ingestive behavior and ruminal fermentation parameters in small ruminants

A duplicated 4 × 4 Latin square design evaluated the effects of replacing ground corn grain (GCG) by sugar-based byproducts plus corn gluten feed (SBB-CGF) on ingestive behavior and ruminal fermentation parameters in small ruminants. Four ruminally cannulated wether sheep and four wether goats (72 and 65 ± 2.3 kg BW, respectively) were individually allocated to 8 pens, over 4 periods of 19-d each (12 d adaptation plus 7 d of sample collection) to receive a diet containing 50% roughage (bermudagrass hay; Cynodon sp.) and 50% concentrate (80% GCG, 16% soybean meal, and 4% premix) with 4 levels of inclusion of SBB-CGF in replacement of GCG (0, 33, 66, and 100%, DM basis). Corn gluten feed was used with SBB to maintain the diets isonitrogenous. Ruminal fluid was collected at 0, 2, 4, and 6 h after the morning feeding, whereas ingestive behavior was assessed on the d 12 of each period for 24 h. Resting time linearly increased with greater inclusion levels of SBB-GCF (P = 0.04; 15.6, 15.7, 16.0, 16.8 h/d). Rumination time was greater (P = 0.001), whereas resting time was lower (P = 0.002) for wether sheep vs. goats (6.5 vs. 4.3 h/d and 15 vs. 17 h/d, respectively). Ruminal concentrations of ammonia-N (P = 0.05; 13.3, 13.2, 10.4, and 10.4 mg dL^-1), acetate (P = 0.001; 58.9, 49.6, 48.5, and 43.1 mM), and acetate:propionate ratio (P < 0.001; 3.6, 2.4, 2.0, and 1.9 mM) linearly decreased, whereas propionate concentrations (P = 0.01; 17.9, 23.0, 30.6, and 28.8 mM) linearly increased with greater levels of SBB-GCF in the diet. In conclusion, sugar-based byproducts plus corn gluten feed can replace ground corn grain up to 100% in the diets of goats and sheep consuming a 50:50 roughage:concentrate diet without compromising the ingestive behavior and ruminal fermentation parameters.