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Intake, Digestibility and Nutrient Utilization by Sheep of Sodium Hydroxide-Treated Tropical Grass Supplemented with Soybean or Urea¹

University of Zambia, Lusaka

Abstract

Dry grass grown in the semi-arid tropics during the dry season was treated with 0,2 or 4% sodium hydroxide (NaOH). Solutions of NaOH were sprayed on chopped dry grass (2.2% protein) at the rate of 1 liter per kilogram. Treated and untreated dry grass were supplemented with soybean meal (SBM) or a urea-molasses (UM) mixture. NaOH treatment increased both dry matter (DM) and water intake by sheep above untreated rations. Nutrient digestibility, except ether extract, was increased by treatment. NaOH treatment also increased (P<.01) N and P retention. Sheep consumed 20% more (P<.01) dry matter from rations supplemented with UM than those supplemented with SBM. Supplementation with UM gave greater (P<.01) digestibility and greater (P<.01) N, Ca and P retention than with SBM.

¹ Financial assistance, gratefully acknowledged, was provided by the Research and Higher Degrees Committee, University of Zambia.

² The author expresses appreciation to Dr. E. A. Goher, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, for his assistance with statistical analysis.

³ Permanent address: Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.

⁴ School of Agricultural Sciences, P. O. Box 2379, Lusaka, Zambia.