Abstract

Many experiments have shown (see Armstrong and Ross, 1968) that the addition of fats to ruminant diets can lead to a reduction in the digestibility of forage cell walls due to adverse affects on the rumen microflora. Jenkins and Palmquist (1982) showed in vitro that the formation of insoluble calcium soaps in rumen fluid could prevent this problem. Additionally, Jenkins and Palmquist (1984) reported that the feeding of the preformed calcium soaps of tallow and soya oil fatty acids to dairy cows allowed normal rumen digestion of fibre whereas non-saponified tallow fatty acids caused a reduction in fibre digestion.The main aims of the present experiment were to examine a new calcium soap of palm fatty acids for its effects on whole tract digestibility of various feed fractions and to measure its effective metabolisable energy (ME) content at maintenance, the present United Kingdom standard.

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