In Vitro Estimation of the Effect of Grinding on Rumen Fermentation of Fibrous Feeds

Abstract

The fermentation patterns of six fiber sources, soybean hulls (SH), sugarbeet pulp (BP), palm kernel cake (PK), oat hulls (OH), dehydrated alfalfa meal (DA), and barley straw (BS) were evaluated for this study on the effect of their presentation form (non-processed, NP and ground, GR). Substrates were tested in a conventional in vitro batch system, using rumen fluid obtained from ewes fed 0.5 alfalfa hay and 0.5 barley straw. All substrates rendered a higher gas production in GR form (p p p p p < 0.05). Similarly, the presentation form did not qualitatively affect fermentation, as no differences were observed in volatile fatty acids proportions. The effect of particle size of fibrous substrates does not have a major impact on the rate and extent of the rumen microbial fermentation.

Keywords

• in vitro fermentation pattern
• fibrous sources
• non-processed
• ground
• gas production