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Ammonia, pH and Volatile Fatty Acids in the Bovine Rumen after Feeding with Hay
Ammoniak, pH og flygtige fedtsyrer i vommen hos kvæg fodret med hø
Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica volume 16, pages 258–268 (1975)
Abstract
The effect of feeding level and interval between feedings on the fermentation pattern in the bovine rumen have been investigated in experiments with hay. The animals were completely adapted heifers fitted with rumen cannulas, and the parameters measured were ammonia, pH, volatile fatty acids (VFA) and non-glucogenic/glucogenic ratio (NGGR) in the VFA mixture.
Increasing feeding levels, ranging from 2/3 to 4/3 of maintenance level, resulted in higher average concentrations of VFA and lower pH in the rumen fluid. Further the highest level of intake caused a considerable diurnal variation in the pH and the concentration of total VFA, and increased the variation in the molar composition of the VFA mixture.
Three feeding intervals ranging from 8 to 16 hrs., with hay administered at maintenance level, caused no changes in the fermentation pattern.
Typical variations in the concentrations of ammonia and valeric acid as related to time after feeding were demonstrated, but the concentrations of the branched-chain fatty acids in the rumen fluid were found to be quite constant.
It may be concluded that a representative mean value of the parameters measured, except for ammonia and valeric acid, may be based on relatively few samples when feed intake does not exceed maintenance level, whereas sampling every hour is required at higher feeding levels.
Sammendrag
Fodringsintensitetens og fodringsintervallets indflydelse på fermentationsmønstret i vommen hos kvæg er belyst ved forsøg med rajgræshø som fodermiddel. Der er anvendt fuldt adapterede permanent fistulerede kvier, og de undersøgte parametre har været ammoniak, pH, flygtige fedtsyrer (VFA) samt non-glucogen/glucogen ratio (NGGR) i VFA-blandingen.
Stigende fodringsintensitet, dækkende fra 2/3 til 4/3 af vedligeholdelsesbehovet, har medført højere gennemsnitskoncentration af VFA og lavere pH. Den højeste intensitet har forårsaget en betydelig daglig variation i vomvaeskens pH og koncentration af VFA samt øget Variationen af VFA-blandingens molære sammensætning.
Tre fodringsintervaller med en fodertildeling svarende til vedligeholdelsesniveauet har ikke medført ændringer af fermentationsmønstret.
Der er påvist et typisk mønster for Variationen af ammoniak- og valerianesyrekoncentrationen i relation til fodringstidspunktet, hvorimod koncentrationen af begge de forgrenede fedtsyrer er fundet ret konstant.
Det konkluderes, at selv få prøver udgør et tilstrækkeligt sikkert grundlag for beregning af gennemsnitsværdier for de anvendte parametre bortset fra ammoniak og valerianesyre, når fodringsintensiteten ikke overstiger behovet for vedligehold. Ønskes koncentrationskurverne for ammoniak og valerianesyre besternt mellem fodringerne, eller fodringsintensiteten overstiger vedligeholdelsesniveauet, bør prøver udtages hver time for at opnå repræentative gennemsnitsværdier for vomvaeskens sammensætning.
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The work was financially supported by the Danish Agricultural and Veterinary Research Gouncil.
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Jensen, K. Ammonia, pH and Volatile Fatty Acids in the Bovine Rumen after Feeding with Hay. Acta Vet Scand 16, 258–268 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03546681
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03546681