Abstract
This experiment was carried out to examined the effect of supplement of sugar and salt on the feed intake in sheep, goats and cows ; i. e., sugar and salt were supplemented at levels of 0, 2, 5 and 10 % into grass hay. In case of feeding with supplement of sugar, the dry matter intake increased according to additional amounts of these supplements in three ruminant animals. In the experiment of 0, 10 and 20 % supplements of sugar in sheep, however, 20% supplement rather decreased the dry matter intake rather decreased. It was considered that the ability of discrimination and adaptation of sweetness was superior in cows than in sheep and goats. In case of feeding with supplement of salt, the dry matter intake was hardly effected in three ruminant animals.
It is suggested that ruminant animal has the sense of taste toward sweetness, and the supplementation of about 10 % sugar into grass hay improves the palatability of feed and increases the feed intake.
