Aspen Bark and Pulp Residue for Ruminant Feedstuffs3

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Abstract
Five experiments were conducted to determine the feeding value for sheep and cattle of aspen bark and of aspen pulp mill fines, a by-product of an ammonia-base sulfite tissue mill. In experiment 1, three groups of 15 ewes each were fed either alfalfa hay or a ration containing 72.5% pulp fines, or a ration containing 72.5% aspen bark. Ewe and lamb performance was similar and satisfactory for all groups. In experiment 2, ruminal ingesta from four rumen fistulated ewes fed rations containing pulp fines or aspen bark had an average pH of 6.3. The molar percentages of ruminal acetate, propionate and butyrate were 71.0, 18.8 and 7.2. In experiment 3, 20 crossbred steers, weighing an average of 223 kg, were divided into two groups, with the control receiving alfalfa hay-lage and hay and the experimental group receiving a ration containing 75% pulp fines. Average daily gain (kg/day), dry matter consumption (kg/day) and feed efficiency (kg feed DM/kg gain) during the 101-day trial for the control and treatment groups were 1.09, 8.50 and 7.8; and .45, 7.68 and 17.1, respectively. In experiment 4, nine Angus beef cows were offered a feed mix containing 83% pulp fines plus approximately 2 kg alfalfa hay in a 7-month field trial. The cows consumed the pulp fines readily, and performance was equal to that expected from cows fed conventional rations. In experiment 5, pelleted feedlot starter rations containing either oat hulls or pulp fines were compared with corn silage as aids in switching cattle to high-grain finishing rations during the first 3 weeks of the feeding period. Measurements of body weight changes were highly variable, but daily gain averaged 1.38, .76, .74 and .63 kg/day for the corn silage, oat hull and two pulp fines treatment groups, respectively. Copyright © 1976. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1976 by American Society of Animal Science.

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