Effect of sodium bicarbonate supplementation on feed intake, digestibility, digesta kinetics, nitrogen balance and ruminal fermentation in young fattening lambs

Abstract

Twenty-two Merino lambs (average weight=15.3 kg) were used to study the effects of inclusion of sodium bicarbonate in the concentrate on feed intake, digestibility, rate of passage, nitrogen balance and ruminal fermentation in vivo and in vitro. Lambs were allocated to two experimental groups receiving concentrate and 20 g kg -1 sodium bicarbonate (group Bic) or concentrate alone (group Control). Both groups received barley straw ad libitum. Faeces and urine were collected for 5 days to estimate digestibility, nitrogen balance and rate of passage. After slaughter (at 25 kg live weight), samples of rumen fluid were collected from each lamb to determine parameters of ruminal fermentation and to be used as inocula for batch cultures of rumen microorganisms. There were no significant differences between treatments (P>0.10) in concentrate intake, dry matter digestibility, nitrogen balance and digesta kinetics. However, straw intake was greater (P<0.05) and neutral-detergent fibre digestibility showed a tendency to be higher in the group Bic (P<0.10). No differences, due to the supplementation with sodium bicarbonate, were observed for in vivo pH, ammonia-N and volatile fatty acids concentrations (P>0.10). Results for rumen fermentation parameters determined in in vitro batch cultures and for fermentation kinetics estimated with the gas production technique followed a similar trend to results observed in vivo. Most parameters showed no significant differences between groups. Nevertheless, the extent of degradation of barley grain in vitro tended to be stimulated (P<0.10) by the use of sodium bicarbonate.Additional key words: acidosis, buffer, concentrate feed, finishing lambs, in vitro gas production, passage rate, ruminal fermentation. ResumenEfecto del bicarbonato sódico sobre la ingestión, digestibilidad, cinética de la digesta, balance de nitrógeno y fermentación ruminal en corderos en crecimiento-cebo Se utilizaron 22 corderos de raza Merina (15,3 kg de peso medio) que se distribuyeron en dos grupos, recibiendo el correspondiente pienso concentrado solo (grupo Control) o con 20 g kg -1 de bicarbonato sódico (grupo Bic). Para estimar la digestibilidad, el balance de nitrógeno y el ritmo de paso se recogieron muestras de heces y orina durante 5 días. Tras el sacrificio (a los 25 kg de peso) se tomaron muestras del contenido ruminal de cada cordero para determinar parámetros de la fermentación ruminal y para ser usadas en cultivos in vitro de microorganismos ruminales. No se observaron diferencias significativas (P>0,10) en la ingestión de concentrado, la digestibilidad de la materia seca, el balance de nitrógeno y la cinética de la digesta. Sin embargo, la ingestión de paja de cebada fue mayor (P<0,05) y la digestibilidad de la fibra neutro detergente mostró una tendencia a ser mayor (P<0,10) en el grupo Bic. No se observaron diferencias debidas a la inclusión de bicarbonato sódico en el pH ruminal, N-amoniacal y concentraciones de ácidos grasos volátiles in vivo (P>0,10). Los resultados de los parámetros d...

Effect of Sodium Bicarbonate and Ionophore Supplementation on Nutrients Digestibility and Growth Performance of Lambs Fed High Concentrate Diets

“…Similar results were reported by (Tripathi et al, 2004). There was no effect on the nitrogen balance due to adding sodium bicarbonate to lambs rations (Bodas et al, 2014). According to Faulkner et al (1985), greater amount of nitrogen reaches the abomasum from the diet when ionophores are added.…”

Conventional Feed-Grade or Slow-Release Coated Urea as Sources of Dietary Nitrogen for Fattening Lambs

“…A kp value of 0.072 h −1 was used [35]. ADG (g/d) was estimated as the regression coefficient (slope) of body weight against time, and the feed conversion ratio was obtained by dividing the average daily dry matter intake (DMI) by the estimated ADG.…”

Effect of sodium bicarbonate supplementation and 2 different ambient temperatures on growth performance and carcass characteristics of lambs fed concentrate diets

“…Animal responses have been inconsistent (7), including no effects (8,9) or negative effects (10,11). Furthermore, there is a paucity of information on the effects of NaHCO 3 supplementation in small ruminants, especially in growing lambs with ad libitum access to concentrate and roughage diets at different ambient temperature levels.…”