Effect of rumination on the process of particle breakdown at different amounts of intake
1997
Kovacs, P.L. (Debreceni Agrartudomanyi Egyetem, Debrecen (Hungary). Allattenyesztestani Tanszek) | Sudekum, K.H. (Christian-Albrechts Universitat, Kiel (Germany). Institut fur Tierenahrung und Stoffwechselphysiologie)
This study was made to evaluate the relationship between the weight distribution and mean size of particles found in the rumen and the time and patterns of rumination at three different amounts of intake, which represented approximately 1, 1,5 and 2 times of estimated maintenance energy requirements. The diet consisted on average of 25 percent maize silage, 43 percent perennial ryegrass silage, 30 percent concentrate. Samples were taken from the rumen and fractionated with a wet-sieving procedure. DM retained on each sieve was used to evaluate the mean particle size and the proportion of each particle fraction. Rumination data were collected in a 48 h period and analysed with the cosinor model. Increasing amount of intake did not influence the rumination patterns. Weight distribution of the different particle fractions did not differed notably. Changes in the amount of particles escaping from a given rumen particle fraction at given rumination time were not detectable. It was concluded, that feeding a mixed diet the process of particle breakdown is not the main factor in limiting feed intake capacity. Changes in the physical structure of the rumen content may have a major roll
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