The δ13C value of ruminant saliva and its effect on the estimation of the legume component of oesophageal extrusa samples

Abstract

SUMMARYThe C3 and C4 plant components in extrusa samples from oesophageally fistulated cattle can be estimated by δ13Canalysis. However, contamination with saliva containing bicarbonates could cause bias in the estimation of the C3 or C4 components. Saliva from animals fed C4 and C3 diets had δ13C values of – 4.37/103 and –15.97/103, respectively. Both values showed a large positive shift of c. 10 units relative to the diets, but the difference between feeds was maintained in the saliva. On theoretical grounds, contamination of the ingested feed with saliva should have caused a small (1·3–3·4% legume) negative bias when estimating legume percentage in the diet. This did not occur when saliva of known (PC was added to mixtures of C3 and C4 forages which were dried, ground and analysed for δ13C. It is postulated that CO2 was lost from bicarbonate when saliva was dried in contact with fresh plant material, and so no significant bias was detected. It would appear that the δ13C technique can be used to estimate the proportion of C3 and C4 components in oesophageal extrusa samples without significant bias from salivary contamination.