SHEEP FED GRAIN PREFER FOODS AND SOLUTIONS THAT ATTENUATE ACIDOSIS

We conducted experiments to determine whether lambs fed grain prefer f oods and solutions containing sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) and lasaloci d, compounds capable of attenuating acidosis. In Exp. 1, we determined whether lambs fed barley preferred flavored rabbit pellets (RP) conta ining NaHCO3 and lasalocid. Lambs in two groups (n = 10/group) were fe d increasing amounts of barley on d 1 to 12 (300 to 1,100 g) and again on d 23 to 34 (300 to 1,350 g). After ingesting barley on d 1 to 12, lambs were fed ground RP containing lasalocid and NaHCO3 (i.e., medica ted) and flavored with either 2% onion (group 1) or 2% oregano (group 2). During d 23 to 34, lambs were fed unmedicated RP containing NaCl a nd flavored with either 2% oregano (group 1) or 2% onion (group 2). Du ring preference tests on d 35 to 40, lambs fed grain preferred RP with NaHCO3 to RP with NaCl (151 vs. 96 g; P < .01). In the Exp. 2, we det ermined whether wheat ingestion affected consumption of aqueous soluti ons containing NaHCO3. In trial 1, 28 lambs were assigned to four trea tments: 1) low-wheat + 2% NaHCO3, 2) high-wheat + 2% NaHCO3, 3) low-wh eat + water, and 4) high-wheat + water. For 12 d from 0800 to 0830, la mbs in treatments 1 and 3 were fed 300 g of wheat and lambs in treatme nts 2 and 4 were fed up to 1,300 g of wheat; fluids (NaHCO3 and water) were then offered from 0930 to 1230 daily. Lambs drank more NaHCO3 on the high-than on the low-wheat diet (1,332 vs 890 g; P = .03); water consumption was similar for lambs on the high-and low-wheat diets (1,6 75 vs 1,700 g; P > .10). In trial 2, lambs in treatments 3 and 4 were offered a solution containing 1.4% NaCl. For 13 d from 0800 to 0830, l ambs in treatments 1 and 3 were fed 500 g of wheat and lambs in treatm ents 2 and 4 were fed up to 1,700 g of wheat. Lambs had access to flui ds from 0800 to 1200 daily. Lambs drank nearly twice as much NaHCO3 so lution on the high-than on the low-wheat diet (1,066 vs 572 g), wherea s they drank only 1.4 times more NaCl solution on the high-than on the low-wheat diet (888 vs. 634 g; P < .001). Fewer lambs showed signs of acidosis in treatment 2 than in treatment 4 in trials 1 (2 vs 9) and 2 (7 vs 17). Collectively, these results are consistent with the hypot hesis that lambs fed grain prefer substances that attenuate acidosis.