Nihon Chikusan Gakkaiho
Online ISSN : 1880-8255
Print ISSN : 1346-907X
ISSN-L : 1880-8255
Volatile Fatty Acid Production in the Rumina of Calves Fed Dried or Frozen Herbage
Shuichi OSHIOIchiro TAHATAHARUO KOBAYASHITsuyako AMI
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JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

1981 Volume 52 Issue 11 Pages 805-812

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Abstract

Three experiments were conducted in order to investigate the production rate of volatile fatty acids (VFA) and some of their characteristics in the rumina of calves fed dried or frozen herbage, using twenty-two Holstein calves fitted with permanentrumen fistula. Herbage harvested from the same field at the same time was dehydrated at once or freeze-stored until feeding. VFA production rate was measured with a single injection method using 14C-acetate and polyethylene glycol (PEG). The results obtained were as follows: 1) The digestibility of crude protein and nitrogen free extract of the herbage was noticeably depressed by high temperature drying. 2) The pH value of rumen fluid was slightly lower for frozen herbage, but VFA concentrations showed no differences between the two diets. With regard to the molar proportions of VFA, acetic acid was higher and isobutyric acid and isovaleric acid were lower for dried herbage. 3) Relative rumen volume and the rate constant for VFA absorption from the rumen wall showed no differences between the two diets. However, the outflow rate of rumen fluid was higher for frozen herbage. 4) The percentage of energy derived from rumen VFA in ingested digestible energy was significantly (P<0.05) higher for frozen herbage, indicating an average of 64.1% for frozen add 54.6% for dried herbage. 5) A significant relationship between ingested digestible dry matter and VFA production rate in the rumen was recognized. The equation was as follows: Y=0.12+10.21X (r=0.97; n=22, P<0.001), where Y is the VFA production rate in the rumen (mole/day) and X is the ingested digestible dry matter (kg/day).

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© Japanese Society of Animal Science
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