The effect of diet on the secretion of parotid saliva by sheep. I. The daily secretion of saliva by caged sheep

Abstract

Two sheep with unilateral parotid fistulae were used to record the effect of individual dietary factors on parotid salivary secretions. The volume of saliva secreted was not affected by the addition of urea and molasses to a straw diet, by the drying of pasture containing 20% dry matter, or by restricting or increasing the water intake. Parotid secretion was increased by increasing the dry matter intake. With a constant food intake, the secretion was increased by 25% when the hay ration was ground through a 1/16 in. screen, but was decreased by 61% when ground through a finer screen. The intraruminal infusion of artificial saliva or 1%sodium chloride decreased the secretion by a mean of 59%. Food intake was of greater importance than other dietary factors, excluding fine grinding, in determining the volume of parotid saliva secreted.