Published online by Cambridge University Press: 22 November 2017
There Is considerable evidence that end products of carbohydrate fermentation and distension of the rumen are involved in limiting intake in ruminants. Intraruminal Infusion of acetate or propionate (Montgomery et al., 1963) distension of the rumen (Campling and Balch, 1961) depressed hay Intake in cattle It is unlikely, however, that any single factor is entirely responsible for terminating feeding but that the effects of the changes that occur In the rumen during a meal, such as production of SCFA, changes In pH, osmolality, rumen distension, are Interpreted as a whole to induce satiety.
In a previous study with dairy cows distension of the rumen together with Intraruminal infusions of sodium acetate and sodium propionate had additive effects on hay Intake (Anil et al, 1987) and a similar experiment has now been carried out with silage.