Study on rumen digestibility Parameters in buffalo by in vivo,in vitro and in situ methods.

In order to investigate the effect of fiber content of diet on buffalo rumen parameter, this project were done by using 3 one year old Azeri male buffalo calves (170 kg body weight) with Latin square design. Experimental treatments consist of 3 Iso- energetic and Iso- nitrogenous rations, formulated on the base of buffalo requirement tables (Mondale et al, 2003). Treatments were: 1) 52 percent fibrous and 26.7 percent none fibrous carbohydrate (T1), 2): 45 percent fibrous and 34 percent none fibrous carbohydrate (T2), 3): 34 percent fibrous and 45.2 percent none fibrous carbohydrate (T3) respectively. Daily feed intake and apparently digestibility of rations were determined by using metabolic boxes. In phase 2 the buffaloes were fistulated with 2 stage method and rumen liquid pH were determined by using the portable pH-miter, degradability of feed ingredients determined by in situ method (Orskov, 1992), Ammonia nitrogen concentration in rumen liquid by Conway (1950) approach. Total volatile fatty acids (TVFA) concentration were determined by Kroman et al (1967) method and microorganisms population in rumen liquid were determined using of most probable number method for bacteria, direct counting for protozoa and Teodor(1998) method for fungi. The results showed that dry matter intake, nutrient intake (NDF, ADF, NFC and CP) and digestibility of NDF, ADF, and CP decreased as dietary fiber increased. Moderately, the effective degradability, degradability rate, lag time, a fraction, potentially degradable DM and slowly degradable fraction of DM in rumen, were higher than that reported in litrature for cow and sheep. Rumen liquid pH difference were significant among the different hours (p0.01).Also there were no significant difference on interactions between times and pH of ration. Comparing ruminal liquid pH showed that it was highest at 0 time, then reached to minimum at 3 to 6 hours after feed consumption. Total volatile fatty acids in rumen liquid indicate that interaction between rations and sampling time was significant(p0.01). The highest TVFA related to ration 3 and the lowest for ration 1. The highest TVFA were obtained 3 hours after feeding and the lowest at 0 times. Comparing the ammonia nitrogen in rumen liquid of buffaloes showed that there was significant difference between different rations (p0.01). The effects of rations on concentration of rumen microorganism population, were significantly different (p0.01). The highest concentration of bacteria obtained with ration 3 and the lowest with ration 1.The highest rumen protozoa population belong to ration 2 and the lowest to ration 1. The highest concentrations of anaerobic fungi related to ration 1 and the lowest to ration 1 about 6 hours after feeding.