1División de Desarrollo Regional, Centro Universitario de la Costa Sur, Universidad de Guadalajara, Autlán de Navarro, Jalisco, México
Departamento de Desarrollo Regional Centro, Universitario del Sur Universidad de Guadalajara, Zapotlán El Grande. Jalisco, México
2Unidad Académica de Ingeniería Agrohidráulica, Plantel de Ingeniería Agronómica y Zootecnia, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla, México
3Facultad de Ciencias Agrícolas, Universidad Autónoma de Chiapas, Huehuetán. Chiapas, México
In order to evaluate the effect of including monensin sodium in a diet of 15% pine sawdust for lambs in feedlots, two treatments in five experimental periods of seven days each were used. The treatments were- Control: basal diet of 15% pine sawdust, M: control diet supplemented with 15 g/ton of monensin sodium. Average daily gain (ADG), dry matter intake (DMI), feed conversion (FC), rumen pH and cost of feed were measured. Treatments were arranged in a completely randomized design with seven replicates per treatment. The ADG, FC, rumen pH and feed costs did not differ (P>0.05), while the DMI was reduced in lambs fed the M (P>0.05) diet. There were no metabolic problems such as acute rumen acidosis or diarrhea in any treatment. The results suggest that pine sawdust may be used an alternative source of fiber in diets for lambs in feedlots and monensin may be included in feedlot lambs production to decrease DMI without affecting ADG.
Feedlot, Fiber, Lambs, Monensin, Sawdust
