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Table 4 Rumen pH and ammonia-nitrogen concentration of Washera sheep fed natural pasture grass hay supplemented with Millettia ferruginea leaf hay

From: Effect of Millettia ferruginea (Birbra) foliage supplementation on feed intake, digestibility, body weight change and carcass characterstics of Washera sheep fed natural pasture grass hay basal diet

Rumen parameters

Sample collection hour*

Treatments

SEM

T1

T2

T3

T4

Rumen pH

0

7.1

7.1

7.1

7.0

0.07

4

6.8b

6.8b

6.8b

6.9a

0.04

8

6.7b

6.8ab

6.9a

6.8ab

0.06

NH3-N (mg/L)

0

16.5

17.3

21.1

17.0

2.94

 

4

13.4b

26.0ab

29.2a

26.4ab

3.45

 

8

11.2

17.1

22.2

19.5

4.12

  1. a,bMeans within a row with different superscripts differ significantly (P < 0.05); SEM = standard error of the mean; *sample collection hours = Right before the morning meal or 0 hour (0), 4 hours (4) and 8 hours (8) after the morning meal; MFLH = Millettia ferruginea leaf hay; T1 = sole natural pasture grass hay fed ad libitum; T2 = 150 g MFLH + natural pasture grass hay fed ad libitum; T3 = 300 g MFLH + natural pasture grass hay fed ad libitum; T4 = 450 g MFLH + natural pasture grass hay fed ad libitum.