PSXII-26 - Effects of levels of brackish water and NaCl on water and feed intake by different breeds of goat and hair sheep yearlings

Angora, Boer, and Spanish doelings and Dorper, Katahdin, and St. Croix ewe lambs (6 per type; initial age=296±2.1 d) consumed water varying in mineral levels of a natural brackish source (BR) and NaCl (SL) to determine effects on water and feed intake. There were 6 simultaneous 6×6 Latin squares with 3-wk periods. Water treatments (WT) were fresh (FR), BR alone (100-BR), similar total dissolved salt (TDS) level as 100-BR via NaCl addition to FR (100-SL), BR with concentrations of all minerals increased by 50% (150-BW), the same TDS level as 150-BR by NaCl addition to FR (150-SL), and the 150 TDS level by addition of a 1:1 mixture of BR minerals and NaCl to 100-BR (150-BR/SL). Concentrations (mg/kg) in BR were 4,928 TDS, 85.9 bicarbonate, 225 calcium, 1,175 chloride, 60.5 magnesium, 4.59 potassium, 1,387 sodium, 1,962 sulfate, and 8.3 boron, and TDS in other WT was 453, 5,684, 7,508, 8,222, and 7,319 for FR, 100-SL, 150-BR, 150-SL, and 150-BR/SL, respectively. Wheat hay (10% crude protein, 66.8% neutral detergent fiber, and 8.5% acid detergent lignin) was consumed ad libitum. There were no AT×WT interactions in water or feed intake. Water intake was affected by animal type (AT) and WT (P = 0.019 and 0.038, respectively), with values of 5.21, 4.06, 3.88, 4.65, 5.69, and 4.97% body weight (BW) for Angora, Boer, Spanish, Dorper, Katahdin, and St. Croix (SEM=0.388) and 4.66, 4.50, 4.61, 4.42, 5.30, and 4.96% BW for FR, 100-BR, 100-SL, 150-BR, 150-SL, and 150-BR/SL, respectively (SEM=0.249). Dry matter intake did not differ among WT (P = 0.573) but was affected by AT (P = 0.002), with values of 2.04, 2,54, 2.58, 2.72, 2.99, and 3.06% BW for FR, 100-BR, 100-SL, 150-BR, 150-SL, and 150-BR/SL, respectively (SEM=0.161). In conclusion, based on feed intake all AT seemed resilient to these WT with TDS less than 10,000 mg/kg.