Monensin and total tract digestibility in wethers fed different roughage/concentrate ratios

The response to the use of ionophores is influenced by several factors, such as the diet energetic density. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of monensin on total tract digestibility in ruminants fed with different diets. Eighteen wethers were randomly exposed to three diets with different concentrate levels (25%, 50% and 75%) without (control) or with monensin (40 mg/animal/day). Experimental period extended for twenty-five days, the last five used for feces and urine collection. The diet consisted of Coast-Cross hay and a concentrate mixture. Monensin increased total tract digestibility of crude protein, independent of the concentrate level (25%-concentrate: 69.6% vs. 65.3%; 50%-concentrate: 72.2% vs. 69.2%; 75%-concentrate: 73.4% vs. 69.8%). There was an interaction between concentrate level and monensin for total tract digestibility of crude fiber (25%-concentrate: 62.0% vs. 61.0%; 50%-concentrate: 53.2% vs. 59.2%; 75%-concentrate: 51.8% vs. 42.7%) and nitrogen balance (25%-concentrate: -3.8 vs. -20.6; 50%-concentrate: -10.4 vs. +2.0; 75%-concentrate: +11.4 vs. +7.9% of absorbed N). The best response to monensin was obtained for the high-concentrate diet and the worst for the 50%-concentrate. Monensin supplementation did not influence dry matter intake, total tract digestibility of dry matter, ether extract, nitrogen-free extract, acid detergent fiber, neutral detergent fiber, gross energy and total digestible nutrients in any diet. It is concluded that monensin response was greater in either high-concentrate or high-forage diets and worst in the 50%-concentrate diet.

ionophores; fiber; digestion; sheep