The Tolerance of Sheep to High Intakes of Sodium Chloride

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Abstract
Female sheep were fed rations with a sodium chloride content of 0.5, 4.8, 9.1, and 13.1 percent for 253 days during growing and fattening, breeding, gestation, and early lactation. These levels of sodium chloride in the ration did not cause any significant difference between lots during the growing and fattening period. There was no difference in weight gain between groups during breeding and gestation. Weight loss during lactation was greater to a highly significant degree for the ewes on 13.1 percent NaCl. There was some decrease in number of lambs raised by the ewes on the highest salt intake. The addition of large amounts of sodium chloride to the ewes′ rations did not affect the gains of the lambs. High sodium chloride intakes did not affect blood hematocrits or serum albumin and sodium, but an increase in blood serum chloride was observed. The milk protein, sodium, and potassium did not change; however, milk chlorides increased for all the lots on high sodium chloride intake.

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