
%0 Journal Article
%A Pritchard, DA 
%A Martin, PR 
%A O'Rourke, PK 
%T The role of condensed tannins in the nutritional value of mulga (<I>Acacia aneura</I>) for sheep
%J Australian Journal of Agricultural Research
%D 1992/11/01
%V 43
%N 8
%P 1739-1746
%K tannins;Acacia aneura;sheep;production;protein;digestibility
%R https://doi.org/10.1071/AR9921739
%U https://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/AR9921739 
%X Sheep were fed mulga (Acacia aneura) ad libitum and supplemented with 0, 12 or 24 g/day of polyethylene glycol molecular weight 4000 (PEG), with or without an additional supplement of 1.5 g/day of each of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and sulfur (S) (NPS). Supplementation with either 12 g/day PEG or 24 g/day PEG increased dry matter intake by 56 and 78% respectively and clean wool growth per unit surface area by 166 and 178% respectively. Supplementation with 24 g/day PEG increased wool fibre diameter, linear growth rate and volumetric growth rate by 32, 29 and 143% respectively. Sheep receiving 24 g/day PEG retained more N (1.80 g/day) and S (254 mg/day) and digested more N (218 g/kg) and S (229 g/kg) when compared with non-supplemented animals. These parameters were further enhanced when NPS was supplemented in conjunction with 24 g/day PEG. Maximum precipitation (77%) of mulga condensed tannins (CT) occurred at a PEG to CT ratio of 0.7:l. 
