Abstract
In former studies, it has been shown that the feeding of cooked barley can promote VFA concentration in the rumen and decreases acetate to propionate ratio when low concentrate ration is used; and it decreases VFA concentration in the rumen and increases acetate to propionate ration when hight concentrate ration is used.
In this experiment, we want to examine the effect of cooking barley and adding urea on VFA production in the rumen of wether which has been fed various amount of barley. Urea was used as nitrogen source. The amount of barley mixed in the ration varied from 20 to 80 percent. Eight wethers were used and divided into 4 uniform lots. The ration fed to all of the wethers consisted of crushed barley and rice straw. Three percets of urea was supplemented to the barley.
Total VFA in the rumen increased as the percentage of the barley increased from 40% to 50% and decreased at the percentage of 60% or more. When the barley was cooked, the total VFA reached the peak at lower barley percentage compared with the case of the uncooked.
By urea addition, the VFA increase in the rumen continued until 60% or 80% of barley feeding.
Acetate to propionate ratio decreased as the percentage of the barley incresed to 60% and increased at the percentage of 70% or more. More remarkable increase and decrease of this ratio were observed when the barley was cooked. In case urea was added this ratio became generally low and not increased even with the high percentage of barley in the ration.
It is clear that the effect of cooking barley is altered by both concentrate vs. roughage ratio and nitrogen content in feed.