Table 3.
Influence of AZOMITE inclusion on growth performance and dietary energy of feedlot lambs.
| Item | AZOMITE in Diet (% of Diet DM) | Contrast p Value | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.00 | 0.75 | 1.50 | SEM | L | Q | |
| Water intake (L/d) | 3.15 | 2.99 | 3.13 | 0.138 | 0.90 | 0.39 |
| Live Weight (kg) 1 | ||||||
| Initial | 18.92 | 18.88 | 18.75 | 0.09 | 0.21 | 0.75 |
| Final | 40.19 | 41.18 | 41.44 | 0.39 | 0.09 | 0.56 |
| Daily gain (kg) | 0.263 | 0.275 | 0.280 | 0.006 | 0.06 | 0.17 |
| Dry matter intake (kg/d) | 0.965 | 0.954 | 1.017 | 0.020 | 0.11 | 0.26 |
| Gain to feed (kg/kg) | 0.273 | 0.288 | 0.275 | 0.003 | 0.62 | 0.02 |
| Observed Dietary Net Energy (Mcal/kg) | ||||||
| Maintenance | 2.13 | 2.22 | 2.14 | 0.019 | 0.84 | 0.008 |
| Gain | 1.46 | 1.53 | 1.46 | 0.016 | 0.84 | 0.007 |
| Observed-to-Expected Dietary NE | ||||||
| Maintenance | 1.00 | 1.06 | 1.02 | 0.009 | 0.18 | 0.007 |
| Gain | 1.01 | 1.07 | 1.02 | 0.011 | 0.23 | 0.006 |
| Hot carcass weight (kg) | 23.85 | 24.79 | 25.26 | 0.421 | 0.04 | 0.66 |
| Dressing percentage | 59.20 | 60.15 | 60.87 | 0.564 | 0.06 | 0.87 |
1 The initial BW was reduced by 4% to adjust for the gastrointestinal fill, and all lambs were fasted (food but not drinking water was withdrawn) for 18 h before recording the final BW.