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A quantitative model of reticulo-rumen particle degradation and passage

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

A. Lirette  and
L. P. Milligan
A. Lirette
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2P.5, Canada
L. P. Milligan
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2P.5, Canada
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Abstract

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Labelled particles were prepared by mordanting low concentrations (0.1 or 5 g/kg dry matter) of chromium to neutral-detergent-extracted stems (1–2 mm or 10 mm in length) of bromegrass (Bromus inermis). These were used in the study of reticulo-rumen particle kinetics of four steers given bromegrass hay and from the results a quantitative model of particle digestion and passage was developed. At the 0.1 g Cr/kg concentration there was minimal interference with digestibility of the feedstuff. The ratio, dry weight of the reticulo-rumen large-particle pool (> 3.35 mm):small-particle pool (< 3.35 mm) was 2:1. It was derived from the model that volatile fatty acids (VFA) and carbon dioxide in the rumen were produced mainly from large particles, and that between 500 and 700 g/kg hay dry matter was digested in the reticulo-rumen. It was also derived from the model that a major portion, 200 (SE 110) g/kg, of the hay dry matter was rapidly solubilized and that the material leaving the reticulo-rumen was composed of small particles (500–840 g/kg), large particles (100–160 g/kg) and an unknown portion of soluble dry matter of hay (0-400 g/kg). Disappearance from the large-particle pool in the model involving the lowest Cr level was directed to formation of VFA and CO2 (0.68 (SE 0.04) of total flow) to the small-particle pool (0.25 (SE 0.06) of total flow) and direct passage from the reticulo-rumen (0.07 (SE 0.002) of total flow). The disappearance from the small-particle pool was to VFA and CO2 production and to the omasum accounting for 0.14 (SE 0.18) and 0.86 (SE 0.24) respectively, of the total flow. It was concluded that the low-level-mordanting technique in combination with appropriate sampling yielded a realistic quantitative description of forage breakdown and movement processes in the digestive tract of cattle.

Keywords

Particulate kineticsReticulo-rumen model
Type
Rumen Physiology and Digestion
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 62 , Issue 2 , September 1989 , pp. 465 - 479
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1989

References

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