The intake and excretion of sodium by sheep fed on species of Atriplex (Saltbush) and Kochia (Bluebush)

Abstract

Penned sheep were fed ad libitum on the fresh leaves of various species of Atriplex and Kochia,and records were made of the intake and excretion of sodium by these sheep.

The sodium content of the diets varied from 3.2 to 8.2% of the dry weight, the higher values being recorded in summer and the lower values in winter. The sodium intakes of the sheep varied from 25 to 97 g/day. Most of this sodium was excreted in the urine at concentrations up to 500 m-equiv./l. The voluntary water consumption of these sheep was related to the sodium intake, such that the ratio of sodium chloride intake to total water intake was within the range 1.82 to 2.17%. Voluntary water intakes varied up to 11.3 l./day.

The food intake of A. nummularia decreased to less than half when the drinking water was replaced by water containing 0.9 or 1.2% sodium chloride.