Effect of Volatile Fatty Acids, Sodium and Potassium Bicarbonate in Purified Diets for Ruminants.

Abstract

Two experiments with lambs were conducted to determine the dietary essentials supplied by a roughage-free diet containing salts of the volatile fatty acids (acetic, propionic and butyric). The first experiment showed that triacetin could not replace the acetate salts of the diet and that butyrate could be omitted. The second showed that growth could be obtained on purified diets which supplied glucose and starch or triacetin for energy,if Na and/or K cations were added to the diet in the form of bicarbonate,.