Notable in situ Degradability of Whole Cottonseed (WCS) and Grass Hay (GH) in the Rumen of Sheep

An experiment was conducted to examine the in situ degradation characteristics of whole cottonseed (WCS) and grass hay (GH) in the rumen of sheep fed 4 different diets. The 4 diets were T1 = GH alone, T2 = GH + 150 g WCS, T3 = GH + 300 WCS, and T4 = GH + 500 g WCS. The different parameters characterizing the extent and rate of the ruminal degradation of DM were examined. The DM loss data were fitted to an exponential equation p = a + b (1 - e-ct) (
rskov and McDonald, 1979). The results of this experiment showed that there were no statistically significant differences (p>0.05) in the degradability characteristics [a, b, A, B, C and (A + B)] of GH between the treatment diets. The lag times varied widely within and between the diets but the differences between diets were not significant (p>0.05). Although the degradation characteristics of GH and WCS tended to decrease when they incubated in the rumen of sheep fed T4, the differences between the diets were not significant (p>0.05). In conclusion, the results of this experiment did not show the significant effects of feeding whole cottonseed supplements on the rate and extent of ruminal degradation characteristics.