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The objective of this study was to determine the effect on digestibility of forages using a daisy jar system with inoculum from steers supplemented with the yeast fermentation product Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Forages tested included ryegrass, wheat, orchard grass, alfalfa, and sorghum sudan hays. Samples were ground through a 1mm screen, placed in Ankom F57 bags, and run in triplicate to increase statistical significance. Two ruminally cannulated jersey steers were used in a switchback design. Animals were housed in a dry lot pen. The study consisted of 2 three-week periods, 2-week standardization followed by a 1-week test period. Diets offered for period 1 were steer A = 100% alfalfa hay w/o yeast product and steer B = 100% wheat hay w/o yeast product. Diets offered for period 2 were steer A =100% alfalfa hay +15g/h/d yeast product and steer B =100% wheat hay +15g/h/d yeast product. During the test week, rumen fluid contents were collected from each donor via rumen cannula approximately 4 h after feeding and taken to the lab to be composited. The samples were incubated for 0 h, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h, and 96 h. At the end of the incubation period bags were collected and cold shocked to stop microbial digestion. Samples were dried at 55oC and stored for later analysis. Model included trt (+/-yeast), forage, hr, and interactions forage*hr and forage*trt. No significant differences were observed (P = 0.38) on DM digestibility or NDF digestibility (P = 0.76) with the supplementation of yeast fermentation product. Forage*Trt was significant (P = 0.03 DMdig, P = 0.02 NDFdig). Implications of this study are the inclusion of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product at a rate of 15g/h/d may not impact overall forage NDF or DM digestibility but may impact types of forage differently in an in vitro system using composited inoculum from donors on a forage diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to determine if supplementation of a yeast fermentation product had an effect on the ADG, performance, and meat quality characteristics of Kathadin sheep fed a ryegrass hay based diet in drylot. Twenty-four Katahdin lambs were divided into two groups (male, n = 8; female n = 16) based on weight and gender: a control (CON) and treatment (TRT) used in a repeated block design. The lambs had a BW of 21.5 ± 2.5 kg, and concluded with a finishing weight of 36.3 ± 3.4 kg. Lambs were housed on dirt drylot with shade structures, and offered an ad libitum TMR diet was formulated to be isocaloric and isonitrogenous at 14% CP and was ryegrass hay based, and top dressed with ground corn as a carrier. The TRT received the yeast supplement at a rate of 4/g/h/d. The diet was offered at 2% of the group's body weight ad libitum. A 1-wk standardization period was conducted before the start of the study to obtain a 5% refusal rate. Orts were collected and recorded, as well as weekly feed samples were collected twice a week, and compiled for a chemical analysis for NDF, ADF, ASH, CP, and ether extract. Temperature and humidity data was also collected throughout the study. Lambs were weighed weekly with a rolling weight being used for the ADG of the lambs. Proc mixed procedures of SAS was used for data analysis. We found no statistical significance in DMI (CON=11.14 ±3.36 kg/d and TRT= 10.89 ±3.55 kg/d per group), and no statistical significance by gender (P < 0.11). There was a statistical significance (P < 0.03), for ADG per group. This suggests that there is a tendency for greater performance and ADG for lambs supplemented with a yeast fermentation product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interest in the use of yeast fermentation products has grown in recent years as a natural feed additive for the growth of ruminants in a feedlot setting. The purpose of this study was to determine if the supplementation of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product (SCFP) had an effect on apparent digestibility in Katahdin lambs offered an annual ryegrass hay-based finishing diet. Six Katahdin wethers (n = 6) were divided into two groups CON and TRT and placed into individual metabolism crates in a temperature-controlled room, (21.1° C), and fitted with fecal collection bags. Lambs were offered a TMR diet that was formulated to be isocaloric and isonitrogenous at 14% CP, and annual ryegrass hay based with a top dress of ground corn to be used as a carrier. The TRT received the yeast supplement at a rate of 4g/head/day. The diet was offered ad libitum with orts collected daily to maintain a 5% refusal rate. Lambs were housed in the metabolism crates for 1-wk before the start of the study for adjustment, followed by 4 days of data collection. Feed, orts, fecal, and urine samples were collected and recorded daily during the collection period for each wether and compiled by animal for chemical analysis of DM, NDF, ADF, CP, and ether extract. Indigestible ADF was used as a digestibility marker to determine apparent digestibility. Data were analyzed by PROC GLM for statistical significance. There was no statistical significance found for apparent digestibility of DM (CON=64.6 ±2.5; TRT=63.4±2.5), CP (CON=65.0 ±2.1; TRT=65.9±2.1), NDF (CON=41.2±1.9; TRT=43.0±1.9), or ADF (CON=26.1 ±4.7; TRT=33.8±4.7) between the two groups (P > 0.05). This study concluded that the supplementation of a SCFP had no significant effect on the apparent digestibility of Katahdin wether lambs that were offered an annual ryegrass hay-based finishing diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to determine if supplementation of a yeast fermentation product had an effect on the ADG, performance, and meat quality characteristics of Katahdin sheep fed a ryegrass hay based diet in drylot. Twenty-four Katahdin lambs were divided into two groups (male, n = 8; female n = 16) based on weight and gender: a control (CON) and treatment (TRT) used in a repeated block design. The lambs had a BW of 21.5 ± 2.5 kg, and concluded with a finishing weight of 36.3 ± 3.4 kg. Lambs were housed on dirt drylot with shade structures, and offered an ad libitum TMR diet was formulated to be isocaloric and isonitrogenous at 14% CP and was ryegrass hay based, and top dressed with ground corn as a carrier. The TRT received the yeast supplement at a rate of 4/g/h/d. The diet was offered at 2% of the group's body weight ad libitum. A 1-wk standardization period was conducted before the start of the study to obtain a 5% refusal rate. Orts were collected and recorded, as well as weekly feed samples were collected twice a week, and compiled for a chemical analysis for NDF, ADF, ASH, CP, and ether extract. Temperature and humidity data was also collected throughout the study. Lambs were weighed weekly with a rolling weight being used for the ADG of the lambs. Proc mixed procedures of SAS was used for data analysis. We found no statistical significance in DMI (CON=11.14 ±3.36 kg/d and TRT= 10.89 ±3.55 kg/d per group), and no statistical significance by gender (P < 0.11). There was a statistical significance (P < 0.03), for ADG per group. This suggests that there is a tendency for greater performance and ADG for lambs supplemented with a yeast fermentation product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]