Effects Of Dried Oat Hay Content In Diet On Digestion And Metabolism Of Nutrients, And Microflora Of Rumen In Sheep

In order to investigate the effects of dried oat hay content in diet on digestion and metabolism of nutrients, and microflora of rumen in sheep. Nine German merino sheep× Mongolian sheep cross breed rams with similar body condition and body weight [(70.32±2.14) kg] were used in a replicated 3×3 Latin square design, and randomly divided into 3 groups with 3 rams per group. Sheep were fed whole corn silage, whole corn silage+dried oat hay(1:1)(mixed group) and dried oat hay as roughages, and the dietary concentrate to roughage ratio was 34.50∶65.50. The results of the study sas follows :1. Effects of dried oat hay content in diet on digestion and metabolism of nutrients: 1) the feed intake and apparent digestibility of DM and OM showed a rising trend with the increase of dried oat hay content in diet. The feed intake of OM of dried oat hay group was significantly greater than that of whole corn silage group(P<0.05); 2) the feed intake of NDF and ADF of dried oat hay group were extremely significantly greater than that of whole corn silage group(P<0.01). The digestion and apparent digestibility of dried oat hay group were significantly greater than that of whole corn silage group(P<0.05); 3) the N intake, retained N and N retention of whole corn silage group were significantly lower than that of dried oat hay group(P<0.05).2. Effects of dried oat hay content in diet on rumen liquid p H and microflora in sheep: 1) ruminal p H of whole corn silage group was significantly lower than that of dried oat hay group at 1 and 5 h(P<0.05), extremely significantly lower than that of mixed group at 3 h(P<0.01); 2) the relative content of fungus in rumen fluid of mixed group and dried oat hay group was extremely significantly greater than that of whole corn silage at 0 h(P<0.01), and dried oat hay group was also significantly higher than whole corn silage group(P<0.05); 3) the relative content of protozoa in rumen fluid of mixed group was significantly lower than that of whole corn silage group at 1 and 5h(P<0.05); 4) after 5 h of feeding, the relative contents of cellulolytic bacteria of mixed group and dried oat hay group were relatively high, among which the relativecontent of Ruminococcus flavefaciens was significantly higher than that of whole corn silage group(P<0.05), the relative contents of Ruminococcus albus and Fibrobacter succinogenes were extremely significantly higher than those of whole corn silage group(P<0.01).In conclusion, it is benefit for maintain stable ecosystem of rumen and growth of microorganisms and significantly improve the apparent digestibility of NDF and ADF that usingdried oat hay as roughage in diet with concentrate to roughage ratio of34.50:65.50, and Ruminococcus albus and Fibrobacter succinogenes are dominant bacteria.