Use of biochar by sheep: impacts on diet selection, digestibility, and performance.

Journal of Animal Science
Darren J McAvoyJ J Villalba

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the influence of biochar obtained from exothermic production of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) and quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) on sheep performance and diet digestibility and on preference for a ration enriched with this carbon-based material. Twenty-four lambs were housed in individual pens and assigned to one of three treatment groups (eight animals per group), where they received: 1) a 60:40 ration of alfalfa:barley (Control), 2) an isoenergetic and isonitrogenous ration with alfalfa, barley, and 2% biochar (BC), and 3) a simultaneous offer of the Control and BC rations (Choice). Lambs were exposed to two consecutive feeding periods (Period 1: 13 d and Period 2: 21 d), representing time intervals where the evolution of intake, animal performance, and rumen parameters were assessed; in vivo digestibility was determined during the last 5 d of the study. Ration intake did not differ among groups of lambs (P > 0.10), although during some days in Period 2, intake was greater for the BC and Choice groups than for the Control group (P < 0.05). Lambs in Choice had a lower preference for BC than for the Control ration (Period 1: P < 0.05; Period 2: P < 0.10), although they incorpo...Continue Reading

References

Aug 1, 1995·Journal of Animal Science·K A Johnson, D E Johnson
May 15, 1998·Journal of Animal Science·R C LittellC B Ammerman
May 7, 2016·The ISME Journal·Sheerli Kruger Ben ShabatItzhak Mizrahi
Oct 16, 2016·Chemosphere·Rivka B FidelMichael Lawrinenko
Mar 7, 2017·Frontiers in Microbiology·Rebecca DanielssonJan Bertilsson

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