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This study evaluated forage-free diets supplemented with sodium bicarbonate (SB) based on ground flint corn on intake, apparent nutrient digestibility, ruminal parameters, and N balance. Four rumen-cannulatedDorper × Santa Inês lambs, with a body weight of 43.4 ± 0.85 kg (mean ± standard deviation) were used. The experimental design was a 4×4 Latin square. Each experimental period lasted 21 days. Experimental diets were: positive control, a diet without SB containing 400 g/kg DM of soybean hulls (CONT), and three diets based on ground flint corn, containing 10 (10SB), 20 (20SB) or 30 (30SB) g/kg DM of SB. Intake of neutral and acid detergent fiber was greater for CONT (P < 0.01) when compared to SB. Intake and apparent nutrient digestibility of dry and organic matter, ether extract, and crude protein did not differ. Intake (P = 0.01) and digestibility (P < 0.01) of non-fiber carbohydrates were greater for SB diets and neutral detergent fiber digestibility was greater (P = 0.03) for CONT. The total digestible nutrients and metabolizable energy were greater for SB (P = 0.04). Rumen concentrations of acetate (P < 0.01), isobutyrate (P < 0.01), butyrate (P < 0.01), isovalerate (P < 0.01), and total short-chain fatty acids (P < 0.01) were greater for CONT. Ruminal pH showed a quadratic (P = 0.05) response to SB levels, with greater values for 20SB. Sodium bicarbonate was efficient in increasing ruminal pH at the level of 20 g/kg DM without interfering with the intake and apparent nutrient digestibility characteristics.

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The study was carried out to evaluate the effect of inclusion of sodium bicarbonate (SB) in diets based on ground corn without forage for feedlot lambs. Twenty-eight ram lambs (Dorper x Santa Inês), with initial body weight of 30.2 ± 4.5 kg and 94 ± 8.4 days old were used. They were assigned to a randomized complete block design. Experimental diets were positive control, diet without forage containing soybeans hulls replacing ground flint corn in 400g/kg of dry matter (DM) (CONT); and three diets without forage based on ground flint corn containing 10 (10SB), 20 (20SB) or 30 (30SB) g/kg DM of SB. The inclusion of SB quadratically increased final body weight (P = 0.02), dry matter intake (DMI; P &lt; 0.01), average daily gain (P &lt; 0.01), feed eficiency (P &lt; 0.01), slaughter body weight (P = 0.02), hot and cold carcass weight (P = 0.02), loin muscle area (P = 0.05), leg compacity index (P = 0.05) and the weights of: neck (P = 0.01), shoulder (P = 0.02), rib (P = 0.03) and leg (P = 0.01), with higher values for the 20SB. Feeding SB linearly decreased the area (P &lt; 0.01) and height (P = 0.01) of the papillae. The use of SB improved the performance and increased hot and cold carcass weights, with better results observed in the 20 g/kg level (20SB), showing to be efficient in diets without forage for feedlot lambs.

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The objectives of this experiment were to evaluate the effects of increasing levels of orange molasses in replacement of flint corn grain in high-concentrate diets on dry matter intake (DMI), average daily gain (ADG) and feed efficiency (FE) of feedlot lambs. Thirty male lambs without defined racial pattern (30.3 ± 5.3 kg of initial BW; mean ± SD) were used in a randomized complete block design with 10 blocks and 3 treatments. The treatments were defined by partial replacement of flint corn by orange molasses in the diet with 90% of concentrate and 10% of Cynodon spp hay, as follow: 0OM – control diet without orange molasses; 20OM – 20% of orange molasses replacing flint corn and 40OM – 40% of orange molasses replacing flint corn (DM basis). The experiment lasted 72 days divided into 3 subperiods, with 1subperiod of 16 days and 2 subperiods of 28 days. Animals were weighed after a16-h fast on days 1, 16, 44 and 72 of the experimental periods to determine the ADG and FE. The DMI, ADG and FE showed an interaction between treatments and experimental periods. The DMI in the first period decreased linearly (P < 0.01), in the third period, there was no effect of treatments (P > 0.05) on DMI. The ADG decreased linearly (P < 0.01) in the first period as the orange molasses increased. Otherwise, in the third period, ADG increased linearly (P = 0.05) as flint corn was replacement by orange molasses. The FE showed an interaction between treatment and period (P = 0.09). In the first period had a decreased linear effect, in the third period there was a trend (P = 0.07) of linear increased. There was no difference between the diets regarding the final BW of the lambs. In conclusion, the orange molasses can replace up to 40% of flint corn in diets for feedlot lambs without affecting final BW. However, it is important to consider the adaptation time proved to be very important for better use of orange molasses as a source of energy in diets for lambs.

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