Effects of replacing barley grain with wheat dry distillers' grains on growth performance, eating behavior, and subcutaneous fatty acid profiles of lambs

The aim of the study was to assess the effects of replacing barley grain with increasing concentrations of wheat dry distillers' grains with solubles (WDDGS) on the growth performance and fatty acid profile of adipose tissue in lambs. Increasing concentration of WDDGS was achieved by replacing barley grain with WDDGS. Thirty-nine weaned crossbred lambs were completely randomized by weight and assigned to three dietary treatments (control, 200 g/kg WDDGS, and 400 g/kg WDDGS). Increasing WDDGS in the diet affected eating rate, total daily intake, and average daily gain. Total saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids in subcutaneous fat were unaltered, but proportions of linolenic acid were increased. This study suggests that a concentrated diet containing 400 g/kg WDDGS fed to lambs as replacement of barley grain, improved lamb intake and growth performance as compared to a barley-based diet.