Total Neutral Detergent Fiber Digestibility Research Articles

Quantifying ruminal digestion of organic matter and neutral detergent fiber using the omasal sampling technique in cattle—A meta-analysis

A data set from 32 studies (122 diets) was used to evaluate the accuracy and precision of the omasal sampling technique by investigating the relationships between ruminal and total digestion of neutral detergent fiber (NDF), between intake and apparent and true ruminal digestion of organic matter (OM), and between omasal NAN flow and milk protein yield. A mixed model regression analysis with random study effect was used to evaluate the relationships. The data were obtained when feeding North American diets (n=36) based on alfalfa silage, corn silage, and corn grain and North European diets (n=86) comprising grass silage supplemented with barley-based concentrates. In all studies, digesta flow was quantified using a triple-marker approach. Standard deviations of ruminal NDF and true OM digestibility were smaller than typically reported in duodenal sampling studies using only chromic oxide as a flow marker. The relationship between total and ruminal NDF digestion was consistent, indicating little variation in the proportion of total-tract NDF digestion that occurred in the rumen. Furthermore, the slope of this regression indicated that 94.7% (±2.7%) of total NDF digestion occurred in the rumen. The slopes of mixed model regression equations between OM intake and amount digested indicated that 42% (±2.4%) and 74% (±3.1%) of OM was apparently and truly digested in the rumen, respectively. The contribution of the rumen to total-tract apparent OM digestion was 62% (±2.6%). The close relationship between omasal flow of nonammonia crude protein and milk protein yield (with adjusted residual mean squared error=31g) provided further confidence in the reliability of omasal flow measurements.

Consumo e digestibilidades aparentes totais e parciais de rações contendo diferentes níveis de concentrado, em novilhos F1 Limousin x Nelore

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os efeitos de cinco níveis de concentrados (25,0; 37,5; 50,0; 62,5; e 75,0%) sobre os consumos e as digestibilidades aparentes totais e parciais da matéria seca (MS), matéria orgânica (MO), proteína bruta (PB), do extrato etéreo (EE), dos carboidratos totais (CHO) e da fibra em detergente neutro (FDN). Cinco novilhos F1 Limousin x Nelore, não-castrados, com peso médio inicial de 279 kg, fistulados no rúmen, abomaso e íleo, foram usados em um delineamento quadrado latino 5 x 5, com cinco tratamentos, cinco períodos experimentais e cinco animais. Cada período teve duração de 14 dias - 10 dias para adaptação dos animais à ração e quatro dias para coleta de fezes e de digestas de abomaso e íleo. Utilizou-se o óxido crômico em duas doses de 10 g/dia, como indicador, para medir os fluxos de nutrientes no trato digestivo. Os consumos de EE e NDT aumentaram e o de FDN diminuiu linearmente com o incremento dos níveis de concentrados das rações. O aumento de níveis de concentrado na MS da ração resultou em acréscimos lineares nas digestilidades totais de MS, MO, PB, EE e CHO. A digestibilidade aparente total de FDN e as digestões aparentes ruminais de MS, MO, PB, CHO e FDN não foram influenciadas pelos níveis de concentrado nas rações, observando-se médias de 45,91; 54,45; 64,67; -9,92; 79,29; e 95,90%, respectivamente. Conclui-se que o aumento dos níveis de concentrado nas rações não alterou os locais de digestão dos nutrientes.

Effect of Particle Length and Sodium Hydroxide Treatment of Wheat Straw on Site and Extent of Digestion by Lambs

Summary Two lamb trials were conducted to determine the effects of particle length (PL; 2.5 vs 10 cm) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) treatment (0 vs 4%) of wheat straw on dry matter (DM) intake and site and extent of DM and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestion. Lambs in the first trial were fed ad libitum once daily. Lambs in the second trail were fed four times/d at 6-h intervals and were sacrificed after 7 d of fecal collection to determine site of digestion. For both trials, NaOH increased (P .10), lambs fed 2.5-cm, NaOH-treated straw appeared to have a greater percentage of total NDF digestion occurring postruminally than lambs fed untreated straw, suggesting an increased flow of potentially digestible fiber to the hindgut. This is supported by a shorter ruminal retention time of digesta in lambs fed the 2.5-cm, NaOHtreated straw. Ruminal volatile fatty acid concentrations were greater for NaOH-treated straw diets, which reflect the site of digestion results. Results of the present study suggest