Abstract
Summary Comparisons were made of the effect of feeding various rations to Holstein heifers upon the rumen volatile fatty acids (VFA) and the dissimilation of C 14 -glucose by incubated rumen contents. Compared to a ration of alfalfa hay and corn (1:1), a ration of ground corn or ground corn and minerals resulted in a marked decrease and increase in the molar proportions of rumen acetate and propionate, respectively. A ration of flaked (steamed) corn and minerals accentuated these changes and, in addition, decreased the molar proportion of butyrate and increased the molar proportion of C 6 and higher acids markedly. Addition of linseed meal to the latter ration increased butyrate at the expense of propionate. Dissimilation of C 14 -labeled glucose by incubated rumen contents demonstrated that the rations which induced a marked change in the molar proportions of rumen VFA also induced a marked change in rumen microbial metabolism.
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