The voluntary intake of silage by sheep:II. The effects of acetate on silage intake

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
A perennial ryegrass silage was treated to give a range of acetic acid contents (2·0–8·8); pH and moistvire levels were held constant by adding solutions of the acid and of potassium hydroxide. When fed to sheep, ad libitum, the pattern of eating during the day was affected by acetate content in the silage but the intake over 24 h was unaffected. In a second experiment the infusion of acetic acid into the rumen depressed silage intake but this effect was not observed when part of the infusate was replaced by potassium acetate. It is considered unlikely that high acetate level per se will result in a low intake of silage.