Malt distillers grains as a component of diets for ewes and lambs and its effects on carcass tissue lipid composition

Two studies were conducted to evaluate malt distillers grains (G) as a component of diets for finishing lambs and pregnant ewes. Mineralised G fed in mixed diets in both studies proved efficacious but as a sole feed was inappropriate, leading to low levels of gain in finishing lambs and vaginal prolapse in breeding ewes. fed to 70 lambs, 5 months of age, in replicated groups of seven lambs in slatted finishing pens. When supplemented with barley at 0 kg, 0.3 kg and 0.6 kg day−1, finishing lambs fed ad libitum G gained 112 g, 184 g and 204 g day−1, indicating a decreased response to the higher level of barley owing to substitution effects. When G was offered as a replacement for supplementary pelleted compound along with ad libitum grass silage, lower rates of daily gain resulted but similar food conversion efficiency was achieved. is of carcass tissue lipids from lambs fed G indicated a significant amount of dietary unsaturated fat escaped rumen biohydrogenation and was preferentially incorporated into the phospholipid component of muscle tissue. This gave a significant increase in the polyunsaturated fatty acid:saturated fatty acid ratio of lean tissue. fed to 140 pregnant multiparous ewes in four groups of 35 ewes in straw bedded pens. G successfully replaced barley/fishmeal in a silage-based diet fed in late pregnancy to multiparous ewes; however, unrestricted access to G caused overfatness and dietary problems. It was concluded a maximum recommended feeding level of 1 kg G per 25 kg liveweight for ewes was appropriate where the remainder of the diet was cereal.