Effects of partial replacement of corn by crude glycerin in high-concentrate diets fed to ram lambs on performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality and diet digestibility

Abstract

Due to the high production of biodiesel, there is a wide availability of crude glycerin and it is becoming an interesting ingredient in animal nutrition. To evaluate its use in diets for lambs, two experiments will be performed. Experiment 1: Forty ram lambs, Santa Ines, will be used to determine the effects of partially replace corn by crude glycerin in high-concentrate diets fed to ram lambs on performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality. The experimental diets will consist of 90% of concentrate and 10% hay. Crude glycerin will replace corn by: 0, 5, 10 and 15%, corresponding to the experimental treatments G0, G5, G10 and G15, respectively. Average daily gain, dry matter intake, feed efficiency, blood parameters (activity of aspartate aminotransferase-AST and gamma-glutamil transferase), carcass characteristics (dressing percentage of hot and cold carcass, ribeye area, backfat thickness and body wall thickness) and meat characteristics (pH, color, shear force, cooking weight loss, water holding capacity, ether extract and fatty acids profile). Experiment 2: Eight Santa Inês ram lambs, cannulated in the rumen, will be used in a double 4 X 4 Latin Square design, to determine the effects of using the Experiment 1 diets on digestibility of nutrients, ruminal measures and water consumption. (AU)