Effect of Liquid to Solid Ratio in Rumen Content on Feedstuffs’ in Vitro Fermentability and Digestibility

Abstract

The amount of fibrous feed consumed by tropical cattle has an impact on the rumen’s liquid-to-solid ratio and feed passage rate. Feed fermentability and digestibility are influenced by ratio. Several in vitro procedures use varying liquid-to-solid ratios, which may or may not be applicable to the local situation. The purpose of this study is to compare the local cow rumen conditions with the liquid-to-solid ratio employed in the in vitro investigation. There were two experiments done for the study. First, the liquid-to-solid ratios in various in vitro experiments (Tilley and Terry = T1, Theodorou = T2, and Sutardi = T3) were compared to the circumstances in the rumen of local cattle (T0). Second, it was determined whether the various liquid-to-solid ratios used in various in vitro techniques were similar in terms of the feedstuffs’ fermentability (pH, NH3, VFA), digestibility (DMD and OMD), and fermentability (DMD and OMD) (F1 = Napier grass, F2 = maize, and F3 = soybean oil meal). The first experiment was fully utilized, and a 3 x 3 block factorial randomized design was used (second experiment). The liquid-to-solid ratio of T3 (1: 40) was discovered to be more comparable to the rumen state of nearby cattle (1:46). Different in vitro techniques had no discernible impact on pH, VFA, DMD, or OMD, but T3 produced more NH3 than T1 or T2 did. With F3 higher than F2 or F1, the major effects of fermentability and digestibility were discovered inside the feed. It is found that every feed studied produced higher NH3 concentrations thanks to the Sutardi method’s liquid-to-solid ratio, which is more akin to the rumen of local cattle. As a result, it is advised to evaluate feedstuff fermentability and digestibility for local cattle using the Sutardi method.