The feeding preference of fattening Hu sheep to different unconventional feed ingredients
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Abstract
Two experiments using the “double slot design” method were conducted to evaluate the feeding preference of fattening Hu sheep to various unconventional feed ingredients. In the first experiment, the feeding preference of fattening Hu sheep to four diets, namely: White distiller grain, apple pomace, grape pomace, and chrysanthemum meal was confirmed by comparing these diets with the corn bran diet. A total of 32 male Hu lambs were randomly divided into four treatment groups, with eight sheep in each treatment. Each of these group was assigned to its individual dietary treatment: corn bran vs. white distiller’s grain, corn bran vs. chrysanthemum meal, corn bran vs. apple pomace, and corn bran vs. grape pomace. In the second experiment, 30 Hu lambs were randomly divided into six treatment groups, with five sheep in each treatment. Each group was similarly assigned to an individual dietary treatment of apple pomace vs. white distiller’s grains, apple pomace vs. chrysanthemum meal, apple pomace vs. grape pomace, white distiller’s grain vs. chrysanthemum meal, white distiller’s grain vs. grape pomace, and chrysanthemum meal vs. grape pomace. For both experiments, the sampling period was 16 days. The results of the first experiment showed that the fattening Hu sheep had a higher preference for the corn bran diet than that for the other four diets (P < 0.01). In the second experiment, the feeding preference to the apple pomace diet was significantly higher than that of the white distiller’s grains and chrysanthemum meal diets (P < 0.01). No significant difference in the feeding preference was found between apple pomace and grape pomace diets (P > 0.05); however, the feeding preference for the former increased by 4.6% compared with the latter. The feeding preference for the white distiller’s grain diet was similar to that of the chrysanthemum meal and apple pomace diets (P > 0.05). However, preference for the white distiller’s grains decreased by 2.8% and 7.12% compared with the chrysanthemum meal diet and apple pomace diet, respectively. The feeding preference for the chrysanthemum meal diet was lower than that of the grape pomace diet (P < 0.05). mmary, the feeding preference of fattening Hu sheep for these five types of unconventional feed ingredients was in the following order: Corn bran diet > apple pomace diet > grape pomace diet > chrysanthemum meal diet > white distiller’s grain diet.
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