Effect of Sodium Bicarbonate in the Drinking Water of Ruminants on the Digestibility of a Pelleted Complete Ration

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Abstract
Six yearling Angus steers were employed in two digestion experiments and six wether lambs in a third to study the effects in ruminants of incorporating sodium bicarbonate in their drinking water on the digestibility of dry matter, ether extract, crude fiber, NFE, protein or energy in a pelleted complete ration. Each experiment consisted of a double reversal experimental design with three comparison periods and two treatments. Treatment 1 consisted of the pelleted ration and untreated drinking water. Treatment 2 was composed of the same ration with 0.5% sodium bicarbonate in the drinking water. In experiment 1, with steers, twice daily full feeding and watering were employed, whereas, in experiment 2, twice daily equalized feeding and twice daily watering were utilized. There were no statistically significant differences in digestibility due to sodium bicarbonate in either experiment. In experiment 1 there was a significant difference in water intake, but not in feed intake, due to sodium bicarbonate. In experiment 3, with lambs, twice daily equalized feeding with ad libitum watering resulted in a significant increase in the digestibility of the ether extract and crude fiber due to sodium bicarbonate incorporation. Copyright © 1963. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1963 by American Society of Animal Science

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