Effect of Three Levels of Minerals and Three Levels of Cellulose on the Performance of Sheep Fed Purified Rations

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Abstract
A 3 × 3 factorial arrangement of treatments was used for testing the effects of 3 levels of minerals and 3 levels of cellulose upon the gains and feed utilizations of sheep receiving purified diets during a 45-day growth experiment. The mineral levels were 3.5, 5.0, and 6.5 and the cellulose levels 30, 40, and 50% of the ration. Sheep consuming the 30% cellulose rations had greater gains (P<.05) and took less feed per lb. of gain (P<.05) than did sheep consuming the 50% cellulose rations. The effect of the different cellulose levels upon gains did not differ from linearity (P>.01); the 30% cellulose rations promoted both the fastest and the most efficient gains. The effect of different mineral levels upon gains also did not differ from linearity (P> .05); the 6.5% mineral rations produced the best daily gains. Copyright © . .