Effects of potassium on macromineral absorption in sheep fed wheat straw-based diets

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effect of increasing dietary K on macromineral bioavailability from a wheat straw-hay diet, and to monitor changes in the rumen that could affect mineral availability. In the first experiment, 12 mature wethers were used in a metabolism study to determine the effect of adding potassium chloride (KCl) to a supplement fed with a diet of 55% NH3-treated wheat straw and 45% bromegrass hay. In the second experiment, similar diets were fed to six wethers with ruminal and abomasal cannulae to determine the site of mineral absorption. Dietary K levels were 1, 2 and 3% of the diet dry matter. Increasing K tended to decrease (P less than .06) apparent absorption of Mg. Potassium absorption increased (P less than .01) with increasing dietary K, but retention was not altered. Quadratic effects (P less than .01) of K were observed for Ca and P apparent absorption and retention. Increased K lowered (P less than .05) plasma Mg in Exp. 1 but not in Exp. 2. Ruminal concentrations of K increased (P less than .01), and concentrations of Na decreased (P less than .05), as dietary K increased. Ruminal fermentation was influenced by dietary K level. Molar proportions of acetate in the rumen were increased (P less than .01) by the addition of K to the diet, while molar proportions of butyrate (P less than .01) and valerate (P less than .01) decreased linearly with increasing K. Time X treatment interactions were present for ruminal propionate, butyrate and NH3-N (P less than .01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)