. 1995. Effects of dietary hydroxides on intake, digestion, rumen fermentation and acid-base balance in sheep fed a high-barley diet. Can. J. . Eight mature wethers fitted with rumen cannulae were used in a double 4 x 4 Litin square feeding trial to study the effect of dietary alkalis on digestive physiology of sheep fed a high-barley diet. The treatments were: C = contr;l diet composed of l77o alfalfa meal and 837o concentrate, on as-fed basis; CA = control plus lTo Ca(OH)r; MG = control phts 0.797o Mg(OH)r; CAMG = control plus 0.57o Ca(OH), and 0'397o Mg(O{)2 Dry matter inlake averaged t'5t,2.54,2.79, and 2.72Vo of BW ior diets C, CA, MG and CAMG, respectively (P < 001)j Oigestible DM intake wal also affected by the treatments and averaged 0.97,1.26,1.35 and 1.37 kg d-l for C, CA, MG, and CAMG diJs, respectively (P < 0.01). Apparent iVt digestibility was higher in sheep fed the C diet than in those fed the other diets (P < 0.03) and it wasinversely relatJto intake (p. O.Or). Total VFA concentration was lower in sheep fed C than in those fed the hydroxides (p < 0.01). proportions of individual VFA were not altered by the diet except for isobutyrate which was higher in sheep fiO ttre C diet (P < 0.01). Rumen NH3-N concenffation was lower in sheep fed the hydroxide-containing diets than in animals fed the conrrol diet (p < 0.01). plasma ur6a nitrogen was lower for the C diet (P < 0.01). Plasma glucose tended to be lower for the C diet than for the other diets (P < 0.06). The control diet induced a mild form of systemic acidosis as indicated by the decrease in blood pH, HCO,-and base excess (P < 0.01). Addition of Ca(OH), and Mg(OH), to the diet, alone or in combination, improved the systemic acid-base status of sheep and was associated with increased DM intake. iivement (P < 0,01). La-digestibilii6 apparente de la MS 6tait plus 6lev6e chez les moutons recevant la ration C (P < 0'03). La digestibilit6 de la MS des ritions a vari!de fagon inverse avec le niveau d'ingestion (P < 0,01). La concentration totale en acides gris volatils (AGV) du rumen des moutons consommant la ration C 6tait la plus faible (P < 0,01) Les proportions individuelles O'4CV n'6taient pas modifi6es par les traitements i l'exception de celle d'isobutyrate qui 6tait plus 61ev6e avec la ration C (P < 0.01). La concentration en azotelmmoniacal du rumen des moutons recevant les rations contenant les hydroxydes 6tait plus faible que celle des animaux recevant la ration t6moin (P < 0,01). La teneur en azote ur6ique plasmatique 6tait plus faible avec la ration C (p . O,Ot). La teneur en glucose plasmatique tendait d €tre plus faible avec la ration C qu'avec les autres rations (P < 0'06). Par comparaison avec les rations pourvues en hydroxydes, l'ingestion de la ration t6moin a induit une forme mod6r6e d'acidose m6tibolique, comme en t6moignent les r6duclions du pH, des HCOr-et de l'excEs de bases du sang des moutons (P < 0,01