Distiller's dried grains with solubles (Zea mays L.) in feeding sheep on nitrogen balance

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of diets supplemented with 0.0, 8.0, 16.0, and 24.0% distiller's dried grain solubles (DDGS) on nitrogen (N) intake, fecal and urinary N excretion, and N absorption and retention (N balance, NB) by feeding sheep. Four sheep of unidentified race were used, with an average body weight of 23.5 ± 1.5 kg, and housed in metabolism cages. We used a 4 × 4 Latin square design for the experimental design, and each experimental period lasted for 20 days. Data on N intake (NI), fecal N, urinary N, absorbed N, and NB were expressed in g day-1; percentage of NI and grams per kilogram of metabolic weight g (kg0.75)-1 were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) and regression analysis at 5% probability. Inclusion of the different concentrations of DDGS in sheep diets had no effect on NI (mean of 15.11 g animal-1 day-1), nor on fecal and urinary N excretion (mean of 5.16 and 0.16 g animal-1 day-1, respectively). Moreover, DDGS supplementation did not alter NB or N absorption (mean of 9.79 and 9.95 g animal-1 day-1, respectively). Thus, it can be concluded that inclusion of up to 24% of DDGS in feed does not affect NI, fecal and urinary N excretion, and NB in sheep.