Study On The Effects Of Magnetic-treated Water On Digestion And Metabolism Of Sheep

In vitro some biological effects of the magnetic-treated water (MTW) were firstly studied and then the effect of drinking MTW on digestion and metabolism of sheep was conducted to attempt to investigate the possible mechanisms of MTW on animal growth.ExpermentⅠThe effect of the magnetic-treated water and buffer on the activities of the trypsin and pepsin in vitro, and the gas production in artificial rumen were studied. The results showed that the magnetic-treated water increased the catalytic velocities of the trypsin and pepsin by 10~20%, elevated the rate of gas production in artificial rumen with earlier appearance of peak of gas production. The magnetic-treated water prolonged the effective degradation time of substrate 10 min(50%) more than that of magnetic-treated water for the trypsin and pepsin.ExpermentⅡFive 2-3-year-old non-pregnant Small Tail Han ewes, 45.1±9.2 kg of average body weight, fed with diet composed of 66% of maize straw and 34% of concentrate, were received two treatments assigned with self-contrast experiment design. Animals in treatment 1 (control) were given water and in treatment 2 MTW was supplied to study the effects of MTW on digestion and metabolism of sheep. The results showed that the DM intake and the apparent digestibility of OM, CP, cellulose, semi-cellulose, Ca and P by animals in treatment 1 were 1370.2±132.2 g·sheep-1·d-1, 64.32±4.87,71.80±3.96, 66.20±6.08, 55.96±6.73, 13.00±2.77, 20.42±5.57% respectively. When MTW was given, they were increased by 17.3, 4.4, 5.0, -4.8, 3.8, 0.6 and 2.8% respectively. When sheep were given water, the amount of the digestible OM, CP, cellulose, semi-cellulose, Ca and P of the diet was 799.61±74.25;119.98±10.44;411.10±34.22;130.28±10.91;1.10±0.14;0.80±0.16 g·sheep-1·d-1 respectively, and when MTW was fed, they were increased by 22.6, 31.1, -3.1, 16.1, 23.6 and 25.0% respectively. When sheep were given water, the average body weight gain and the retention of N, Ca and P was 185.0±264.3, 10.14±1.62, 0.82±0.11 and 0.77±0.14 g·sheep-1·d-1 respectively, however, when MTW was fed, they were increased by 54, 27.3, 20.7 and 24.7% respectively.The present study showed that MTW could increase the DM intake, the amount of the digestible OM and CP, enhance the retention of N, Ca, P and improve body weight gain, but had no significant effect on the digestibility of nutrients.