Effect of Oat Fodder Cultivars on In Vitro Fermentation, Nutrient Utilization, Nitrogen Balance and Performance in Sheep

Study evaluates nutritive value of oat fodder varieties in sheep by in vitro and in vivo means. The newly identified oat varieties (JHO-99-2 and JHO-2010-1) with check Kent grown under identical agronomic management were fed to 18 sheep (25.13±0.42 kg BW and 14.05±0.64 m age) randomly allotted to Kent, JHO-99-2 and JHO-2010-1 groups with 6 animals in each. Crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), cellulose and lignin contents of the oat varieties were identical. Total carbohydrate, carbohydrate and protein fractions were similar in oat cultivars. Calculated dry matter intake (DMI), digestible dry matter (DDM), total digestible nutrients (TDN), digestible energy (DE), metabolisable energy (ME), net energy for maintenance (NE_m), lactation (NE_l) and gain (NE_g) were similar in all varieties. In vitro gas and CH₄ production (ml/g), partition factor (PF) and short chain fatty acids (SCFA) varied (P<0.05) among oat varieties. Sheep offered JHO-2010-1 had higher (P<0.05) NDF and OM digestibility. DCP, DE and ME varied from 3.56–4.53%, 1.97–2.12 kcal/g and 1.62–1.75 kcal/g, respectively among the oat varieties. Nitrogen intake, nitrogen balances (g/d) and growth in sheep was similar on oat varieties. It was concluded that oat varieties were similar in CP, fiber, carbohydrate and protein fractions, energy and nutrients intake and differed (P<0.05) for in vitro gas and methane production, NDF and OM digestibility.