Regulation of Food Intake in Ruminants. 6. Influence of Caloric Density of Pelleted Rations

Abstract

The objectives of this experiment were to determine voluntary feed and energy intake of rations varying in digestibility and density and to describe rations on which intake is limited by fill. A basic concentrate mixture was diluted from 5 to 50% at 5% increments with each of four diluents: (A) oak sawdust, (B) oak sawdust with constant 3% kaolin clay, (C) verxite, an expanded hydrobiotite, and (D) as (A), except nitrogen was kept constant at 17.4% crude protein equivalent. Thus, 40 rations were evaluated. The rations were pelleted. Each ration sequence (A-D) was fed to four sheep maintained in metabolism stalls. Density of the rations was measured on a dry basis and by water displacement.