Ciência Rural (Feb 2023)

Intake and apparent nutrient digestibility, ruminal parameters, and nitrogen balance of lambs fed with corn and forage-free diets with sodium bicarbonate

  • Ana Carolina Silva Vicente,
  • Matheus Sousa de Paula Carlis,
  • Isabela Jorge dos Santos,
  • Adrielly Lais Alves da Silva,
  • Paulo César Gonzales Dias Junior,
  • Nathalia Rubio Eckermann,
  • Terezinha Teixeira de Souza,
  • Daniel Montanher Polizel,
  • Marcelo Baggio,
  • Janaina Socolovski Biava,
  • Alexandre Vaz Pires,
  • Evandro Maia Ferreira

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1590/0103-8478cr20220406
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 53, no. 9

Abstract

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ABSTRACT: This study evaluated forage-free diets supplemented with sodium bicarbonate (SB) based on ground flint corn on intake, apparent nutrient digestibility, ruminal parameters, and N balance. Four rumen-cannulatedDorper × Santa Inês lambs, with a body weight of 43.4 ± 0.85 kg (mean ± standard deviation) were used. The experimental design was a 4×4 Latin square. Each experimental period lasted 21 days. Experimental diets were: positive control, a diet without SB containing 400 g/kg DM of soybean hulls (CONT), and three diets based on ground flint corn, containing 10 (10SB), 20 (20SB) or 30 (30SB) g/kg DM of SB. Intake of neutral and acid detergent fiber was greater for CONT (P < 0.01) when compared to SB. Intake and apparent nutrient digestibility of dry and organic matter, ether extract, and crude protein did not differ. Intake (P = 0.01) and digestibility (P < 0.01) of non-fiber carbohydrates were greater for SB diets and neutral detergent fiber digestibility was greater (P = 0.03) for CONT. The total digestible nutrients and metabolizable energy were greater for SB (P = 0.04). Rumen concentrations of acetate (P < 0.01), isobutyrate (P < 0.01), butyrate (P < 0.01), isovalerate (P < 0.01), and total short-chain fatty acids (P < 0.01) were greater for CONT. Ruminal pH showed a quadratic (P = 0.05) response to SB levels, with greater values for 20SB. Sodium bicarbonate was efficient in increasing ruminal pH at the level of 20 g/kg DM without interfering with the intake and apparent nutrient digestibility characteristics.

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