Forty-eight Santa Ines ewe lambs (23.1kg BW and 124 days old) were used to evaluate the replacement of coastcross hay by soybean hulls on feedlot performance. Animals were assigned to a complete randomized block design with four diets and six replicates. All diets were isonitrogenous and contained the same amount of NDF. Soybean hulls replaced hay at 0%, 12.5%, 25% or 37.5% on DM basis, corresponding to the experimental treatments OCS, 12.5CS, 25CS and 37.5CS, respectively. Soybean hulls NDF replaced hay NDF at 0, 25, 50 and 75%. There was a linear increased response (P<0.01) on dry matter intake (0.95, 1.02, 1.08 and 1.20kg day-1) and average daily gain (113, 137, 150 and 187g day-1) and a linear improvement (P<0.01) on feed conversion (8.55, 7.20, 7.11 and 6.25kg of DM kg of gain-1) when soybean hulls were added to the diet. When soybean hulls are added to the diet (up to 37.5%, DM basis) there is an improvement on animal performance and the ewe lambs attain breeding weight faster.
neutral detergent fiber; sheep; byproduct
