EFFECT OF FEEDING FERMENTED, AMMONIATED, CONDENSED WHEY PERMEATE ON INTAKE, DIGESTIBILITY, RUMEN FERMENTATION, AND ACID-BASE-BALANCE IN SHEEP

Nine DLS rumen-cannulated wethers (69 kg avg BW) were used to study th e effects of dietary supplementation with two types of fermented, ammo niated, condensed whey permeate on performance, rumen physiology and a cid-base status in sheep fed high-grain diets. Sheep were fed three is onitrogenous (16% CP) diets according to a triple 3 x 3 Latin square d esign, with three 21-d periods each. One whey permeate contained ammon ium lactate (AL) while the other contained ammonium propionate (AP). U rea was used as a source of NPN in the control diet (C). Diets, offere d ad libitum, contained 78% barley and 18% dehydrated alfalfa meal. Dr y matter and digestible energy intakes were about 15% higher for diets AL and AP than for diet C (P < 0.05). Dry matter digestibility was no t affected by the treatments, whereas organic matter and energy digest ibilities tended to be higher for diet AP than for diet AL (P < 0.07). Rumen fermentation was not affected by the treatments. Over a 4-h pos t-feeding period, sheep fed diet C had higher plasma concentrations of lactate (P < 0.06) and acetate (P < 0.04) but lower levels of plasma propionate (P < 0.06) than sheep fed the AL and AP diets. Plasma propi onate 2 h after feeding was higher in sheep fed the AL diet versus the AP diet (P < 0.01). Sheep blood was mildly alkalotic despite the fact that sheep were fed a high-grain diet. The two types of fermented, am moniated and condensed whey permeate were found to be good sources of NPN.