Food intake, water intake, urine output, growth rate and wool growth of lambs accustomed to high or low intake of sodium chloride

Abstract

Lambs artificially reared were given either no salt supplement (LS lambs) or 2.0 g NaCl supplementation (kg body weight)-1 (HS lambs) by oral route from an early age. The food intake, water intake, urine output, growth rate and wool production were measured for several months to identify any changes in the performance of the lambs. Growth rate of HS lambs, although relatively high, was significantly less (P < 0.001) than in LS lambs, owing mainly to HS lambs having a reduced food intake. Linear relationships between water and food intakes were maintained, but shifted to a new plane for the HS lambs. The high intake of NaCl caused water intake to increase, which appeared to be mostly used to excrete the NaCl through increased urine output. Lambs given a high intake of NaCl had a lower food intake, but the reasons for the reduction could not be defined in this experiment. Wool production was reduced, but not significantly, by a high intake of NaCl. Diarrhoea was observed on more than one occasion in HS lambs during the experimental period.