Factors limiting the intake of feed by sheep. I. The significance of palatability, the capacity of the alimentary tract to handle digesta, and the supply of glucogenic substrate.

Abstract

Voluntary feed consumption (VFC) decreased when a quantity of the diet being consumed by the sheep was introduced into the rumen. On diets of lucerne hay, lucerne hay plus maize, wheaten hay, and wheaten straw, the decreases in VFC ranged from 90 to 110% of the quantity introduced intraruminally when this quantity varied from 20 to 60% of the VFC during control periods. When sheep consumed wheaten straw ad libitum, and a quantity of coarsely ground wheaten straw equal to 140% of the VFC during a control period was given intraruminally, VFC ceased and digesta accumulated in the rumen. VFC decreased when indigestible materials were introduced into the rumen. The voluntary consumption of lucerne hay decreased by 15% when sawdust was introduced into the rumen at a rate equivalent by weight to 17% of the VFC during a control period ; decreases of 7 and 9% were found when finely ground polyvinyl chloride was introduced at rates equivalent by weight to 25 and 50% respectively of VFC during control periods. The voluntary consumption of wheaten hay decreased by 16 and 19% when sawdust was introduced into the rumen at rates equivalent by weight to 25 and 18% respectively of VFC during control periods. Intraruminal infusions of acetic acid, propionic acid, or a mixture of acetic, propionic, and butyric acids providing 290–510 kcal of energy daily were accompanied by decreases in the voluntary consumption of lucerne hay and wheaten hay; the decreases ranged from 0.29 to 0.86 g dry matter per kcal of energy infused; similar decreases were obtained when propionic acid was infused into the abomasum of sheep given lucerne hay. The intake of lucerne hay was 9% higher when given alone than when supplemented with 6% propionic acid. The results are discussed in relation to factors limiting the intake of lucerne hay and wheaten hay.