Proteinaceous concentrates or “protein feeds” contain high levels of protein (over fifteen %) and are sometimes plant-derived. Examples embody soybean meal, cottonseed meal, and fish meal. Ruminant-derived meat and bone meal cannot (by law) be fed to alternative ruminants, as well as sheep.
Protein amount is mostly a lot of important than protein quality (amino acid content) in ruminant livestock as a result of the microorganisms in the rumen manufacture their own body protein. Livestock do not store excess protein; it’s burned as energy or eliminated (as nitrogen) by the kidneys. Overfeeding protein can not typically increase productivity or carcass quality.
Since parasites usually cause blood loss in sheep and lambs, higher levels of protein within the diet enable the animal to mount a greater immune response to parasites, particularly the blood-sucking barber pole worm.
Urea
Urea is not a protein supplement, however is a source of nonprotein nitrogen (NPN) that rumen bacteria will use to synthesize protein. NPN should be used solely together with high-energy feeds like corn. Urea, that is forty five p.c nitrogen and has a crude protein equivalent of 281 percent, ought to not provide over one-third of the whole nitrogen in a diet.
Protein feeds
Feedstuff | Percent CP |
Urea | 281* |
Fish meal | 62 |
Soybean meal | 48 |
Whole soybeans | 42 |
Cottonseed meal | 41 |
Linseed meal | 34 |
Commercial protein supplement | 36-40 |
Corn gluten feed | 26 |
Poultry litter | 26 |
Distiller’s grains | 25 |
Brewer’s grains | 24 |
Whole cottonseed | 21 |
Alfalfa pellets | 17 |
Lick tubs | 16-24 |