Evaluation of alfalfa-corn cob associative action. III. The effect of mechanically separated alfalfa fractions on intake, digestibility and ruminal characteristics of ammonia-treated corn cob diets fed to sheep.

The influence of mechanically separated alfalfa fractions on intake, digestibility and rate of ruminal passage was investigated using 48 lambs (32 kg) in a digestion trial. Whole plant pre-bloom alfalfa (25% crude protein) or fractions (presscake, dehydrated presscake, protein coagulum, dehydrated protein coagulum, whole juice or deproteinized juice) were added to a 3% ammonia (NH3)-treated corn cob negative control diet at levels equal to 20% wholeplant alfalfa dry matter (DM); eight treatments, six lambs/treatment. Ad libitum intake was greater (P less than .05) for alfalfa fiber (presscake) or juice supplemented diets compared with 20% direct cut alfalfa. Dry matter intake, digestibility of DM and cell walls, and rate of passage were highly correlated when diets were fed ad libitum. At equal DM intakes, dehydrated vs wet presscake increased (P less than .05) DM and cell wall digestibility. Heating of the protein may have reduced degradation rate and consequently a slower release of nutrients for microorganisms in the rumen. Whole vs deproteinized juice increased digestibility of cob DM (P = .11) and cell walls (P = .13), suggesting a response to level of degradable alpha-amino N. Whole and deproteinized juice increased cell wall digestibility compared with the negative control by 23.0 and 18.5 percentage units, respectively, suggesting that degradable alpha amino-N and cell solubles or other nutrients interacted to maximize microbial fiber digestion. Total and branch-chain volatile fatty acids measured at 6, 12 and 18 h post-feeding were highly correlated with nutrient digestibility. Ruminal NH3-N measured at 18 h was negatively correlated with dry matter (r = -.74) and cell wall (r = -.72) digestibility, showing that alfalfa supplies nutrients required by ruminal microorganisms for NH3 assimilation and fiber digestion. The mode of alfalfa associative action in high fiber diets is in supplying ruminal microorganisms with degradable protein and (or) other nutrients, rather than altering ruminal retention time.