Effects of thermally activated sodium bentonite on ruminal degradation and intestinal digestibility of soya bean meal crude protein

Abstract

In ruminants, the protein value of a feedstuff is determined by the amount of amino acids from microbial protein and rumen undegraded dietary protein (UDP) absorbed in the small intestine. The requirement of UDP increases with the production level of the animal. This protein can be supplied by increasing the amount of dietary protein escaping degradation in the rumen. Various physical and chemical treatments have been used to alter the rate of ruminal degradation of soya bean meal (SBM) protein, thus increasing its post-ruminal availability. Recently Al-Asheh et al (2003) reported that thermally activated sodium bentonite (T-bentonite) has the potential to be used as a low cost sorbent since it is naturally available and has high surface area. We hypothesized that this clay can reduce degradation of SBM crude and true protein in the rumen. The main objectives of our research were to evaluate the degradation of untreated and T-bentonite treated SBM proteins by using SDS-PAGE and to determine effective rumen degradation (ERD) and intestinal digestibility of untreated and T-bentonite treated soya bean meal crude protein (CP).