Reclamation of Astragalus By-Product through Dietary Inclusion in Ruminant Diets: Effects on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, Rumen Fermentation, Blood Biochemical Parameters, and Humoral Immune Response in Sheep
Table 1
Ingredients and chemical composition of the experimental diets.
Item
Dietary treatments1
Control
10% ABP
15% ABP
Ingredient (g/kg of DM)
Leymus chinensis
258
250
220
Corn straw
175
145
145
Astragalus by-product
0
100
150
Molasses
20
20
20
Corn
260
259
278
Distillers dried grains with solubles
140
69
40
Corn gluten meal
99
115
97
Premix2
5
4
7
Urea
8
4
8
Sodium chloride
8
8
8
Calcium carbonate
15
15
15
Dicalcium phosphate
4
4
4
Sodium bicarbonate
8
8
8
Chemical composition (g/kg DM)3
Dry matter (g/kg fresh weight)
887
887
887
Crude protein
124
124
124
Neutral detergent fibre
437
436
430
Acid detergent fibre
260
269
273
Metabolizable energy (Mj/kg)
10
10
10
Calcium
8
8
8
Phosphorus
5
4
4
1ABP, Astragalus by-product; 2supplied per kg of diets: vitamin A, 15,000 IU; vitamin D, 2,000 IU; vitamin E, 55 IU; Fe, 50 mg; Co, 0.2 mg; Cu, 12.0 mg; Se, 0.5 mg; Mn, 50 mg; I, 0.55 mg; Zn, 25 mg; 3nutrient levels were all measured values except metabolizable energy.
