Effect of a Yeast Culture on Nitrogen Balance and Digestion in Lambs Fed Early and Mature Orchard Grass

Abstract

Hernandez, R., Gonzalez, S.S., Pinos-Rodriguez, J.M., Ortega, M.E., Hernandez, A., Bueno, G. and Cobos, M. 2009. Effect of a yeast culture on nitrogen balance and digestion in lambs fed early and mature orchard grass. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 35: 53-56. To evaluate the effect of feeding a yeast culture (0 or 5 g/d per sheep) on digestion and N balance in lambs fed orchard grass hay cut at 5 or 16-wk of re-growth, 4 male Criollo lambs (45 +/- 4 kg) fitted with ruminal cannulae in a 4x4 Latin square with a factorial 2x2 arrangement of treatments were used. Addition of a yeast culture did not affect (P>0.05) intake, rumen pH and ammonia N, N balance and total tract digestion of nutrients. Ruminal total protozoa changed only according to orchard grass maturity (P<0.05); however, treatments did not affect total and cellulolytic bacteria, rumen pH and rumen ammonia N concentration. It is concluded that addition of a yeast culture to lambs fed early and mature orchard grass did alter ruminal protozoa without affecting feed intake, total tract digestion and N balance.