Brod D L, Bolsen K K, Brent B E
J Anim Sci. 1982 Jan;54(1):179-82. doi: 10.2527/jas1982.541179x.
Three studies were conducted to examine effect of water temperature on rumen temperature, digestion and fermentation in sheep. Four, 2-yr-old wethers were used in a Latin square design among four water temperature treatments: 0, 10, 20 and 30 C. Rumen temperature was depressed most by 0 C water followed by 10 C, 20 C and 30 C water. For 0, 10, 20 and 30 C water, respectively, 108, 96, 96 and 72 min were needed to reach initial rumen temperature. Water temperature had no significant effect on N balance or percentage dry matter digestibility, crude protein digestibility and crude fiber digestibility although lowest digestion coefficients were observed for the 0 C treatment. Numerical differences were observed in rumen pH or volatile fatty acid (VFA) and ammonia-N concentrations at the various water temperatures; however, the effects were not significant. Rumen pH was maximally depressed at 2 h postfeeding for 0 C water, 3 h for 10 C water, 4 h for 20 C water, and 3 and 4 h for 30 C water. By 4 h postfeeding, the 0 C water treatment produced the highest concentration of all VFA and ammonia-N; however, by 4 h not all of the VFA or ammonia-N concentrations had reached maxima for 10, 20 or 30 C water treatments. The 0 C water treatment produced the lowest concentrations of ammonia-N and VFA (except acetate) by 5 h postfeeding.
