Abstract 492

Bamualim,-A; Weston,-RH; Hogan,-JP; Murray,-RM

Graduate School of Tropical Veterinary Science, James Cook Univ., Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia.

Proceedings-of-the-Australian-Society-of-Animal-Production. 1984, 15, 255-258; 11 ref.

Protein digested post-ruminally was measured with 8 Corriedale wethers fed on spear grass and urea and minerals as basal diet (SG) supplemented either with Leucaena leucocephala in the diet (SG+L) or with casein infused into the abomasum (SG+C). Intake of organic matter (OM) increased by 43% with Leucaena supplementation which included an 11% increase in intake of SG, compared with a 51% increase in SG intake with casein infusion. The supplements improved the balance between amino acids and energy expressed as intestinally digested crude protein/100 g digestible organic matter (DCPi/DOM). Leucaena supplementation increased DCPi/DOM from 12.3 to 21.0 following casein infusion. It is suggested that the enhanced feed intake was caused by the improved supply of amino acids to the tissues.