The Effect of Alfalfa Ash upon the Digestibility of Prairie Hay by Sheep

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Abstract
Two digestibility trials involving 52 sheep were conducted to study the effect of supplementing a ration containing low quality prairie hay with a complete mineral mixture or alfalfa ash. In the first trial, the basal ration contained natural feedstuffs in addition to the hay. In the second, a semi-purified diet was used in which the prairie hay was the only natural feedstuff. In both trials neither alfalfa ash nor a complete mineral mixture was found to improve the apparent digestibility of the ration or any of its proximate components. In these studies, it appeared that a three-day collection period was not of sufficient length to obtain an accurate measure of the apparent digestibility of this type of ration by sheep.