The effects of dietary acid detergent fibre content on the performance of finishing lambs
This study investigated the effects of incremental increases in acid detergent fibre (ADF) content on the nutrient digestibility and performance of South African Mutton Merino wether lambs fed low-fibre finishing diets. Four dietary treatments were formulated with similar nutritional compositions,...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
South African Society for Animal Science
2025-03-01
|
| Series: | South African Journal of Animal Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.sajas.co.za/article/view/23229 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849727898185891840 |
|---|---|
| author | OB Einkamerer AV Ferreira MD Fair A Hugo |
| author_facet | OB Einkamerer AV Ferreira MD Fair A Hugo |
| author_sort | OB Einkamerer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
This study investigated the effects of incremental increases in acid detergent fibre (ADF) content on the nutrient digestibility and performance of South African Mutton Merino wether lambs fed low-fibre finishing diets. Four dietary treatments were formulated with similar nutritional compositions, but with ADF concentrations of 46.8, 59.3, 63.8, and 79.9 g/kg dry matter. The digestibility study was conducted over seven days, while the production study was conducted over 67 days, after which the lambs were slaughtered. Significant differences between treatment means were declared at a 5% probability level. A high ADF concentration (79.9 g/kg) increased the finishing diet’s neutral detergent fibre and ADF digestibility. None of the other nutrients or dry matter digestibility values were affected by the change in ADF concentration. However, a low ADF concentration (46.8 g/kg) resulted in a significantly lower (more efficient) lamb feed conversion ratio, and less metabolisable energy was used for live weight gain. Carcass characteristics were unaffected by the dietary treatments. In conclusion, lamb performance was positively affected by a low ADF content in low-fibre finishing diets with a similar neutral detergent fibre content. More research is required to evaluate the effects of different ADF concentrations in high-fibre diets on nutrient digestibility and the performance of wether lambs.
Submitted 20 November 2024; Accepted 23 January 2025; Published March 2025
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Significance of research to South African science
The article contributes significantly to South African science by addressing feed efficiency in the country’s sheep production systems. Conducted at the University of the Free State, the study evaluates how varying levels of acid detergent fibre (ADF) in low-fibre finishing diets affect nutrient digestibility and lamb performance. Given the growing use of feedlot systems in South Africa's mutton industry, this research provides locally relevant data on optimising dietary fibre to enhance growth efficiency without compromising carcass quality. Its findings support the use of lower ADF content for improved feed conversion, offering practical implications for more cost-effective and sustainable lamb finishing practices in the region.
|
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2ffc859f0e5948b4bea76453e479c588 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 0375-1589 2221-4062 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | South African Society for Animal Science |
| record_format | Article |
| series | South African Journal of Animal Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-2ffc859f0e5948b4bea76453e479c5882025-08-20T03:09:43ZengSouth African Society for Animal ScienceSouth African Journal of Animal Science0375-15892221-40622025-03-0155310.4314/sajas.v55i3.02The effects of dietary acid detergent fibre content on the performance of finishing lambsOB Einkamerer0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4976-8702AV Ferreira1https://orcid.org/0009-0000-4705-7555MD Fair2https://orcid.org/0009-0002-9688-974XA Hugo3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9199-6605University of the Free StateUniversity of the Free StateUniversity of the Free StateUniversity of the Free State This study investigated the effects of incremental increases in acid detergent fibre (ADF) content on the nutrient digestibility and performance of South African Mutton Merino wether lambs fed low-fibre finishing diets. Four dietary treatments were formulated with similar nutritional compositions, but with ADF concentrations of 46.8, 59.3, 63.8, and 79.9 g/kg dry matter. The digestibility study was conducted over seven days, while the production study was conducted over 67 days, after which the lambs were slaughtered. Significant differences between treatment means were declared at a 5% probability level. A high ADF concentration (79.9 g/kg) increased the finishing diet’s neutral detergent fibre and ADF digestibility. None of the other nutrients or dry matter digestibility values were affected by the change in ADF concentration. However, a low ADF concentration (46.8 g/kg) resulted in a significantly lower (more efficient) lamb feed conversion ratio, and less metabolisable energy was used for live weight gain. Carcass characteristics were unaffected by the dietary treatments. In conclusion, lamb performance was positively affected by a low ADF content in low-fibre finishing diets with a similar neutral detergent fibre content. More research is required to evaluate the effects of different ADF concentrations in high-fibre diets on nutrient digestibility and the performance of wether lambs. Submitted 20 November 2024; Accepted 23 January 2025; Published March 2025 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Significance of research to South African science The article contributes significantly to South African science by addressing feed efficiency in the country’s sheep production systems. Conducted at the University of the Free State, the study evaluates how varying levels of acid detergent fibre (ADF) in low-fibre finishing diets affect nutrient digestibility and lamb performance. Given the growing use of feedlot systems in South Africa's mutton industry, this research provides locally relevant data on optimising dietary fibre to enhance growth efficiency without compromising carcass quality. Its findings support the use of lower ADF content for improved feed conversion, offering practical implications for more cost-effective and sustainable lamb finishing practices in the region. https://www.sajas.co.za/article/view/23229growthcarcassdigestibilitysoybean hullswheat bran |
| spellingShingle | OB Einkamerer AV Ferreira MD Fair A Hugo The effects of dietary acid detergent fibre content on the performance of finishing lambs South African Journal of Animal Science growth carcass digestibility soybean hulls wheat bran |
| title | The effects of dietary acid detergent fibre content on the performance of finishing lambs |
| title_full | The effects of dietary acid detergent fibre content on the performance of finishing lambs |
| title_fullStr | The effects of dietary acid detergent fibre content on the performance of finishing lambs |
| title_full_unstemmed | The effects of dietary acid detergent fibre content on the performance of finishing lambs |
| title_short | The effects of dietary acid detergent fibre content on the performance of finishing lambs |
| title_sort | effects of dietary acid detergent fibre content on the performance of finishing lambs |
| topic | growth carcass digestibility soybean hulls wheat bran |
| url | https://www.sajas.co.za/article/view/23229 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT obeinkamerer theeffectsofdietaryaciddetergentfibrecontentontheperformanceoffinishinglambs AT avferreira theeffectsofdietaryaciddetergentfibrecontentontheperformanceoffinishinglambs AT mdfair theeffectsofdietaryaciddetergentfibrecontentontheperformanceoffinishinglambs AT ahugo theeffectsofdietaryaciddetergentfibrecontentontheperformanceoffinishinglambs AT obeinkamerer effectsofdietaryaciddetergentfibrecontentontheperformanceoffinishinglambs AT avferreira effectsofdietaryaciddetergentfibrecontentontheperformanceoffinishinglambs AT mdfair effectsofdietaryaciddetergentfibrecontentontheperformanceoffinishinglambs AT ahugo effectsofdietaryaciddetergentfibrecontentontheperformanceoffinishinglambs |