Effects of anhydrous ammonia treatment and Saccharomyces cerevisiae upplementation on the neutral detergent fiber degradability and crude nutrient igestibility of wheat straw in sheep

This study was conducted to determine the effects of anhydrous ammonia treatment and live yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Yea-Sacc 1026 Powder, cfu/g = 6.6 x 108) supplementation to wheat straw in Menemen type sheep. In two trials, the wheat straw untreated (WS) and treated with 3% anhydrous ammonia (WSNH3) were used. In the first trial, in situ nylon bag method was used to determine the NDF degradation charecteristics of WS and WSNH3 using three rumen cannulated sheeps fed yeast free diet and with 4 g/sheep/day live yeast supplemented diet. To determine in situ NDF degradation charecteristics of wheat straw plus 4 g/sheep/day live yeast-supplemented (WS+Yeast) and treated with 3% anhydrous ammonia plus live yeast-supplemented (WSNH3+yeast) 15 days adaptation period was applied to the cannulated sheep. In the second trial, in vivo classic digestion method was used to determine the crude nutrient digestibility coefficients by using twelve sheep fed four different diets: basal diet (WS) not treated with anhydrous ammonia, treated with 3% anhydrous ammonia (WSNH3), basal diet plus 4 g/sheep/day live yeast-supplemented (WS+Yeast) and treated with 3% anhydrous ammonia plus 4 g/sheep/day live yeast-supplemented (WSNH3+Yeast). Results showed that the effective NDF degradability (pe8) of WS was significantly improved 2.74%, 4.6% and 6.4% by WS+Yeast, WSNH3 and WSNH3+Yeast, respectively. In vivo DM, OM, apparent CP and EE digestibility coefficients of WS were improved with the WS+Yeast, WSNH3 or WSNH3+Yeast (p<0.05). While NDF digestibility coefficient of WS was non-significantly improved by WS+Yeast and WSNH3 (0.44% and 7.43%, respectively), it was significantly improved 11.22% by WSNH3+Yeast.