Effect of Mineral Supplements on Digestibility of a Corncob Ration by Sheep

Abstract

Digestion experiments were conducted with lambs to investigate the effect of various supplements to a ration in which corncobs was the main roughage. The ration was designed to be adequate with respect to major nutrients. It contained supplemental salt, cobalt and iodine but was low in total ash. Addition of a mixture of common nutrient mineral elements was without effect. However, the addition of either the ash of alfalfa or a synthetic alfalfa ash (a mixture of purified salts simulating the composition of alfalfa ash) resulted in highly significant increases in the digestion of organic matter and crude fiber fractions of the ration. Appetite of the lambs was also improved by either of these mineral additions. Copyright © . .