Utilización de subproductos y desechos agrícolas en la alimentación de rumiantes. I. Digestibilidad y utilización de rastrojo de maíz, cascarilla de algodón, melazas y harina de torta de algodón en la alimentación de ovinos.

Abstract

A series of studies were carried out with sheep to determine the effect of the addition of various levels of sugar cane molasses and of protein in the form of cottonseed meal, on the digestibility of cellulose of the dried corn plant. Similar studies were carried out with cottonseed hulls. The addition of 5 and 10 per cent sugar cane molasses increased the digestibility of the cellulose of the ground corn plant and also the digestibility of the protein and of the nitrogen free extract of a ration based on cottonseed meal and ground corn plant. The addition of 10-20 per cent sugar cane molasses to a ration based on cottonseed meal and hulls did not significantly change the digestibility of crude fat, protein and cellulose. It was also found that cottonseed meals with a higher solubility of the protein in diluted sodium hydroxide had a higher digestibility of crude protein, cellulose and nitrogen free extract. Results are also reported on the digestibility of a pellet made from 60 percent cottonseed hulls and 40 percent cottonseed meal.