Effect of Chemical Treatment of Sesame Stover with NaOH and Urea on Chemical Composition and <i>In vivo</i> Rumen Digestion in Sheep

This study tested the effect of urea, urea sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and NaOH + urea on chemical composition and total tract nutrition in sheep. Treated stovers were prepared by mixing stovers with aqueous solution of urea (SU, 3g in 100 ml water /100 g DM), NaOH (SN, 4g in 100 ml water /100g DM) and urea + NaOH (SUN). Five male Balouchi sheep (30 ±1.4 kg) were used in a change-over design. In vivo experimental diets were as follows: alfalfa hay (AH), alfalfa hay + S (AHS), alfalfa hay + SU (AH SU), alfalfa hay + SN (AHSN) and alfalfa hay + SUN (AHSUN). The NDF content significantly (P 0.05) in urea and NaOH. The urea caused a significant (P<0.05) increase in CP content of sesame stover. The digestibility coefficients of DM, OM, NDF and ADF increased with chemically treatment of sesame stover. Furthermore, rumen pH was not affected by the chemical treatment, while rumen NH3- N (P<0.05) concentration was enhanced by urea +NaOH treatment. These results suggest that digestibility of DM, OM, CP, NDF and ADF could be improved by chemical treatment with urea and NaOH.