| The objectives of this study were to determine if a diet high in escape protein or high in sulfur-containing amino acids would reduce bitterweed toxicosis in sheep. Forty Rambouillet lambs (28.3 kg) (n=40) with 8 lambs per treatment were placed in individual pens and allowed 7 days to adjust to being fed alfalfa pellets at 2.5% BW, and their treatment diet. Treatments and bitterweed were fed for 15 days. Treatment 1 received a cottonseed meal (CSM) based supplement. Treatment 2 received CSM and distillers dried grain (DDG). Treatment 3 received a soybean meal (SBM) feed, and Treatment 4 received SBM and DDG. Treatment 5 served as the control group (only alfalfa pellets). Lambs fed the SBM supplement ate more (P<0.05) bitterweed than our control group. Cottonseed meal, CSM and DDG, or SBM and DDG did not improve bitterweed intake. Landowners should consider feeding SBM-based supplements to prevent bitterweed toxicosis. |
