HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Toha, M. Articles by Dawson, K. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Toha, M. Articles by Dawson, K. A.

Effect of Water Restriction and Dietary Potassium on Nutrient Metabolism in Lambs¹

University of Kentucky², Lexington 40546-0215

Abstract

Twenty-four Hampshire x Suffolk wether lambs (40 kg) were used in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments to study the influence of water restriction and high levels of dietary K on nutrient utilization. Lambs were offered either a normal K diet (1.86% K) or a high K diet (3.66% K). Additionally, the lambs were offered either a normal quantity of water (previously determined voluntary intake of lambs fed normal K levels) or were restricted to a water intake 80% of normal. Each lamb received 800 g/d of a fescue hay-corn diet (77.5% fescue hay) with an additional 20 g of KCl offered to lambs on high K treatments. The experiment consisted of 14 d of adjustment and 7 d of total collection with blood and ruminal parameters measured on the last day of collection. Both acid detergent fiber digestibility and N balance were reduced (P<.05) by high K intake. Urinary Mg excretion tended (P>.05) to be decreased by water restriction. Plasma Mg concentrations at 2 h post-feeding (PF) tended (P>.05) to be reduced by a high K intake at a normal level of water consumption but increased at high K intake when water intake was restricted. A similar pattern was observed for plasma K concentrations. Although high K intake resulted in elevated (P<.05) ruminal K concentrations both at 2 and 6 h PF, ruminal concentrations of ammonia-N and volatile fatty acids were not affected (P>.05) by treatment. These data suggest that nutrient utilization in both the digestive tract and tissues is altered by level of K and modest water restriction.

¹ This paper (no. 87-5-6) is published with the approval of the Director of the Kentucky Agric. Exp. Sta.

² Dept. of Anim. Sci.