The effect of addition of mixtures of amino acids on the intake of grass silage by sheep and cattle

A mixture of 15 amino acids was either added to the basal silage diet (sheep and cattle) or infused intraruminally (cattle) to determine the role of amino acids in the control of silage intake. Neither dietary addition nor intraruminal infusion of the amino acid mixture in sheep or cattle had a significant effect on intake compared to the control (P > 0·05). However, in cattle, dietary addition of the amino acid mixture increased intake compared with intraruminal infusion of the amino acid mixture (P < 0·01). It was concluded that the amino acid content of the basal silage is not involved in the control of silage intake by sheep or cattle. © 1998 SCI