Experiments were conducted on sheep cannulated to the rumen, duodenum and ileum to study the effects of Ca and Na loading (5 and 10 times the ARC requirements) on digestion in the rumen and intestines. The introduction of calcium lactate (19.6%) or sodium chloride (9.6%) into extruded feed mixtures had no significant effect on degradation in the rumen (apparent digestibility of organic matter in the forestomachs averaged 40%, ileal digestibility 61%) or on the pH of ruminal (5.73), duodenal (3.37) or ileal (7.63) digesta. Excess sodium in the diet reduced (P < 0.05) microbial protein synthesis in the rumen (7.69g N-MP/d) in comparison with control sheep and those loaded with Ca (10.46 and 10.74 g N-MP/g) as well as the apparent digestibility of total nitrogen in the small intestine.