Ethological activities, ruminal parameters and weight gain of calves supplemented with different amounts of sodium chloride

Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira

Pedro Malafaia²  Rosane Scatamburlo Lizieire¹  Paula Barroso Cruz¹  Paulo Vargas Peixoto² 

[1] ,Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro Instituto de Zootecnia Departamento de Nutrição Animal e PastagemSeropédica RJ ,Brazil

关键词: Cattle behavior;    dairy calves;    ruminal parameters;    sodium intake;    Bovinos de leite;    cloreto de sódio;    comportamento animal;    suplementação mineral;   

DOI  :  10.1590/S0100-736X2012000800021

来源: SciELO

【 摘 要 】

The daily weight gain, behavioral activities (grazing, ruminating and water consumption) and the number of rumen protozoa, pH, NH3, and the osmolarity of rumen fluid was evaluated for four groups of six calves HPB/Zebu submitted to daily intake of 15, 30, 60 and 90g of NaCl during 135 days (9th Jan. to 24th May 2008).Throughout the experimental period the calves were in perfect health condition and did not show any signs suggestive of chronic sodium poisoning. There was no significant difference in average daily gain of the calves as the intake of NaCl increased. No significant behavioral changes were observed in the activities of grazing and rumination. However, there was a noticeable change in the frequency of water consumption in the calves that ingested 90g/d of NaCl; they went more often to the trough and drank more water than the group that ingested only 15g sodium chloride/d. The osmolarity of ruminal liquid was higher in the group of calves fed 90g of NaCl/d. The pH, NH3 concentration and number of rumen protozoa was within the normal range.

【 授权许可】

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