[Jacob-list] minimum fiber length for rumen health - Neal?

[Neal and Louise Grose]

Do what? These UGA people are dumb. OK, I shouldn't be judgmental. 

Corn has practically no fiber and fermentation of the high starch content will actually "burn" the rumen without additional fiber sources to. Ruminants put on high grain diets on feedlots need an acclimation period to convert them to more of a simple stomached animal.

Hay cubes and silage work OK in sheep even though they do not provide adequate fiber length for dairy cattle. Dairy cattle require a portion of the diet that is 2 - 3 inches (bite size).  Oddly enough, cottonseed hulls work well to provide fiber in diets that are deficient in digestible fiber.

Neal
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Linda 
  To: jacob-list at jacobsheep.com 
  Sent: Wednesday, February 13, 2008 7:06 PM
  Subject: [Jacob-list] minimum fiber length for rumen health - Neal?


  First off - I feed hay and I'm not looking to replace hay with concentrates. And when I mention "scratch factor", I'm not talking about wool. I asked this question on the "big" sheep list and got some rather odd answers privately. (ouch!)

  Is there a minimum fiber (as in edible fiber) length necessary to maintain healthy rumen function for sheep?  I know that cattle require a long fiber length for rumen health.  I read something a while back - which, of course I can't find now - that said sheep didn't require a minimum fiber length.  They need fiber, but length is not crucial, according to this lost article.  What is necessary to satisfy the "scratch factor" which refers to roughage "scratching" the walls of the rumen?  UGA says that whole corn will supply the necessary roughage for a healthy rumen.  They don't mention scratch factor. 

  I'm just curious as to if you could completely replace hay with a short fiber length substitute like alfalfa pellets. Or add some other high fiber/long length supplement to satisfy the minimum fiber length (if there is one). This is not what I'm doing, so don't jump on me!

  Linda






   
  www.patchworkfibers.com
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