Abstract
The aim of this study was to compare in vitro gas production kinetics, metabolizable energy (ME), organic matter digestibility (OMD) and microbial protein (MP) production of widely used legume hays in ruminant nutrition in Turkey. Gas production were determined at 0, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h and their kinetics were described using the equation p = a+b (1-e -ct ). There were significant differences among legume hays in terms of chemical composition. The crude protein content of legume hays ranged from 11.7 to 18.6% of dry matter (DM); crude fat from 2.1 to 3.5% DM; neutral detergent fiber from 35.6 to 52.0% DM; acid detergent fiber from 32.0 to 35.5% DM and acid detergent lignin 1.7 to 11.0% DM. Total gas production after 96 h incubation ranged between 61.67 and 76.00 ml/0.200 g of substrate. At 24, 72 and 96 h incubation the total gas production for common vetch were significantly (p<0.01) higher than those of the other legume hays. The ME, OMD and MP of legume hays ranged from 9.09 to 11.12 MJ/kg DM, 61.30 to 75.54% and 90.35 to 138.05 g/kg DM, respectively. The ME, OMD and MP of common vetch was significantly (p<0.01) higher than those of the other hays due to low cell-wall contents and high crude protein. At the end of the experiment, differences in chemical composition of legume hays resulted in the differences in the in vitro gas production, gas production kinetics and the estimated parameters such as ME, OMD and MP. Common vetch can be recommended to hay producers and ruminant breeders, due to high ME, OMD and MP production.
Highlights
Gas production methods has been used to determine the rate and extent of dry matter (DM) degradation and the effect of the some anti nutritive factors such as tannin since in vitro methods are less expensive, less time consuming, allow more control of experimental conditions than in vivo experiments
The microbial protein (MP) produced in the rumen by micro-organisms is the major source of protein for the ruminants and the prediction of efficiency of MP production is very important in ruminant nutrition (Leng, 1993; Srinivas and Krishnamoorthy, 2005)
It has been reported that carbohydrate intake, protein intake and carbohydrate source, protein source and fermentation rate in the rumen had a significant effect on the MP production (Rymer and Givens, 1999; Chang et al, 2005)
Summary
Gas production methods has been used to determine the rate and extent of dry matter (DM) degradation and the effect of the some anti nutritive factors such as tannin since in vitro methods are less expensive, less time consuming, allow more control of experimental conditions than in vivo experiments. Fermentation of substrate by rumen microorganisms results in production of short chain volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and microbial protein (MP) and gases (Blummel et al, 1997a). The MP produced in the rumen by micro-organisms is the major source of protein for the ruminants and the prediction of efficiency of MP production is very important in ruminant nutrition (Leng, 1993; Srinivas and Krishnamoorthy, 2005). There are several factors affecting MP production in the rumen. It has been reported that carbohydrate intake, protein intake and carbohydrate source, protein source and fermentation rate in the rumen had a significant effect on the MP production (Rymer and Givens, 1999; Chang et al, 2005)
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