Digestibility by Lambs and Performance of Lambs and Steers Fed Sodium Hydroxide-Treated Cotton Plant by -Product

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Abstract
Growing steers and lambs were used in three experiments to determine the effects of feeding sodium hydroxide (NaOH)-treated cotton by-product (CBP) with and without monensin on feedlot performance and digestibility by lambs. NaOH-treated CBP increased (P<.05) apparent dry matter digestibility (DMD) of total diets and an additive increase (P<.05) resulted with monensin supplementation. NaOH treatment increased (P<.05) apparent organic matter digestibility (OMD) but monensin had no effect. In a subsequent experiment average daily gain (ADG) and feed efficiency (feed:gain ratio) were similar (P>.05) for feedlot lambs fed com silage or NaOH-treated CBP. NaOH improved (P<.05) ADG by 18 and 33% and feed:gain ratio by 17 and 27% over ADG and feed:gain ratio observed with untreated-CBP and cottonseed hulls (CSH), respectively. Slaughter observations indicated no abnormalities associated with consumption of NaOH-treated CBP. In Exp. 3, feedlot steers were used to determine the feeding value of NaOH-treated CBP with monensin. NaOH-treated CBP plus monensin increased (P<.05) ADG over that obtained with untreated controls. NaOH-treated CBP and NaOH-treated CBP plus monensin improved (P<.05) feed:gain ratio in comparison to that observed with controls. Pelleted, NaOH-treated CBP with or without monensin resulted in lower (P<.05) ADG than CBP, butfeed:gain ratio was similar (P>.05). These results indicate that DMD of NaOH-treated CBP is increased by monensin, that NaOH-treated CBP is equal to corn silage and superior to CSH for growing-finishing lambs and that NaOH-treated CBP is superior to untreated CBP for growing feedlot steers. Copyright © 1982. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1982 by American Society of Animal Science