Water intake, pH and ammonia levels in the ruminal contents of sheep fed pelleted feed]

Wethers were studied for the effect of the complete pelleted feed ration on the intake of water and concentration of pH and ammonia in the rumen. The animals consumed daily 1300 g of dry matter of the diet containing 41.81% of meadow hay, 25.8% of barley, 15.37% of sawdust, 14.98% of molasses, 1.32% of urea and 1.24% of vitamin mineral supplement. This feed was given to them for six months. The pelleted diet increased the intake of water (the dry matter consumption remaining the same in the control and experimental group), reduced pH concentration (6.0--6.2) and slightly increased the level of ammonia in the first hour after feeding; this was probably due to a rapid release of nitrogen compounds from the feed and to intensive rumen fermentation.