Effects of sodium sulpate and gluten supplements on the intake and digestibility of a mixture of spear grass and Townsville lucerne hay by sheep

Abstract

Voluntary intake and dry matter digestibility of a mixture of 80 per cent spear grass hay and 20 per cent Townsville lucerne hay by sheep, in 'metabolism cages, supplemented with sodium sulphate, gluten, or sodium sulphate and gluten, were measured during a six-week experimental period. Apparent retentions of nitrogen, sodium, potassium, calcium, and phosphorus were also determined. All sheep receiving supplements gained weight whereas sheep on the basal ration lost weight. After four weeks supplementation, sheep receiving gluten alone or gluten + sodium sulphate consumed 64 per cent more feed than the control sheep, whose intake gradually declined over the experimental period. Sheep fed sodium sulphate alone consumed 48 per cent more feed than the control group. Dry matter digestibility of feed was increased by 5 to 7 percentage units when sheep were supplemented with either sodium sulphate or gluten.