Feed Intake, Ingestive Behavior, and Metabolic Parameters of Ewes Fed Fully Extruded Diets with Different Forage Levels Compared to Corn Silage
Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate dry matter intake (DMI), dry matter digestibility (DMD), ingestive behavior, and blood parameters in ewes fed extruded diets with increasing forage levels compared with fresh corn silage. Twenty adult, non-pregnant crossbred ewes (Dorper × Santa Inês; 4 ± 0.5 years old) with an initial body weight of 65.17 ± 10.45 kg were housed in metabolic cages for 20 days in a completely randomized design and assigned to one of the following treatments: fresh corn silage, extruded diet containing 52.5%, 60.0%, 65.0%, or 70.0% forage based on Urochloa spp. grass fiber. Data were analyzed using mixed models after testing for normality and homogeneity of residuals. Orthogonal contrasts were used to evaluate the effects of forage type and increasing forage levels. Glucose concentrations were analyzed as repeated measures over time, and the covariance structure was selected based on the corrected Akaike information criterion. Statistical significance was declared at p≤0.05. Extruded diets increased DMI, water intake from the drinker, fecal score, idling time (IT), chewing efficiency (CE), rumination efficiency (RE), and serum urea concentrations compared with corn silage (p<0.05); however, no effect was observed on DMD. Increasing forage levels in the extruded diets promoted a positive quadratic effect on DMI and rumination time up to 65.0% forage inclusion, whereas negative quadratic responses were observed for IT, CE, and RE. Blood glucose concentration showed a quadratic response to forage inclusion, reaching a maximum at 60.0% forage, while serum urea concentrations decreased linearly as dietary forage levels increased (p<0.05). In conclusion, fully extruded diets improved feed intake, water consumption, and ingestive efficiency in ewes without affecting DMD, even at higher forage inclusion levels. Forage inclusion levels between 60.0% and 65.0% optimized intake and rumination activity, while promoting greater stability in blood glucose concentrations.
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