Comparison of urea treatment with established methods of sorghum grain preservation and processing on site and extent of starch digestion by cattle

• Published in: Journal of animal science Vol. 69; no. 11; p. 4570
• Main Authors: Hill, T.M. (Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO), Schmidt, S.P, Russell, R.W, Thomas, E.E, Wolfe, D.F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.11.1991
• Subjects: ALMIDON; AMIDON; Animal Feed; Animals; BOVIN; Cattle - physiology; DIGESTIBILIDAD; DIGESTIBILITE; DIGESTION; Edible Grain; Food Handling; Food Preservation; FORMULACIONES; FORMULATION; FOURRAGE GRAIN; GANADO BOVINO; GRANOS PIENSO; INTESTIN; Intestine, Small - physiology; INTESTINOS; Male; SORGHUM; Starch - metabolism; Stomach, Ruminant - physiology; UREA; UREE
• ISSN: 0021-8812; 1525-3163
• DOI: 10.2527/1991.69114570x

To determine the effects of dry (D); reconstituted and ensiled (R); reconstituted and acid-treated (A); and urea-treated, high-moisture (U) sorghum grain on starch digestibility, four Angus X Hereford steers (average BW = 350 kg) with duodenal and ileal cannulas were used in a 4 X 4 Latin square design. Diets consisting of 69% ground sorghum grain were fed every 2 h in equal portions (8.2 kg/d). Diets averaged 46.5% starch and 12% CP, except for U, which averaged 14% CP due to urea treatment. Ytterbium attached to sorghum was used as a particulate marker. Duodenal, ileal, and fecal samples were taken 1 h postfeeding after a 14-d adaption to diets. Whole samples were analyzed. Preduodenal starch digestion (%) was 89, 83, 76, and 70, and starch digestion over the total tract was 99, 97, 95 and 91 for R, U, A, and D, respectively. Starch digestion proximal to each site (duodenum and ileum) was enhanced (P.05) by R and U compared with D. Within the small intestine, there was a linear relationship (P.003) between starch digestion and daily starch supply. However, digestibility of starch in the small intestine (mean