Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t8hqh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T04:42:26.855Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The effect of intra-ruminal feeding on the intake of silage

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

D. S. McLeod  and
R. J. Wilkins
D. S. McLeod
Affiliation:
Grassland Research Institute, Hurley, Berks.
R. J. Wilkins
Affiliation:
Grassland Research Institute, Hurley, Berks.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

A ryegrass silage with pH of 3·8 was prepared and part was neutralized to pH of 5·4 with sodium bicarbonate. Sheep were fed ad lib. in four treatments in which the two silage feeds were fed with either all the feed being consumed per os or with the introduction of silage (15 g D.M./kg LW0·75 per day) directly into the rumen through a fistula. Intake per os was significantly higher (P < 0·001) for the modified silage than for the original silage and was significantly lower (P < 0·001) for the treatments which included feeding per rumen rather than all the food being consumed per os. Feeding per rumen resulted in a small but significant (P < 0·05) increase in the total (per os + per rumen) intake of both types of silage. This increase in intake through feed being introduced directly into the rumen suggests that factors sensed in the oro-pharyngeal region which were by-passed with this treatment may have some limiting effect on the intake of both these silages. The effect of the introduction of feed directly into the rumen on intake per os was similar for the two silage feeds, despite much higher levels of consumption of the modified silage for both feeding methods. This suggests that the increase in intake brought about by partial neutralization was not mediated through this treatment affecting any oro-pharyngeal limitation on the intake of silage.

Volatile fatty acid concentrations in the rumen were higher for the modified silage treatments, but differences between silage treatments for molar proportions of volatile fatty acids, rumen pH and rates of cellulose digestion were non-significant. The initial digestion of cellulose was slower, the molar proportions of acetic acid were lower and of propionic acid higher for treatments which involved feeding per rumen rather than all the food being consumed per os. These observations are discussed in relation to the use of the intra-ruminal feeding techniques and to possible factors limiting the intake of highly acid silages.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 75 , Issue 3 , December 1970 , pp. 559 - 564
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1970

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Association of Official Agricultural Chemists. (1965). Official Methods of Analysis of the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists, 10th ed.Google Scholar
Bailey, C. B. & Balch, C. C. (1961). The digestion of hay administered to cows through rumen fistulas. Br. J. Nutr. 15, 183–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Balch, C. C. & Johnson, V. W. (1950). Factors affecting the utilization of food by dairy cows. 2. Factors influencing the rate of breakdown of cellulose (cotton thread) in the rumen of the cow. Br. J. Nutr. 4, 389–94.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barry, T. N. (1967). The validity of observations made in an in vitro rumen system by comparison with those obtaining in vivo. Ph.D. thesis, University of Newcastle upon Tyne.Google Scholar
Crampton, E. W. & Maynard, L. A. (1938). The relation of cellulose and lignin content to the nutritive value of animal feeds. J. Nutr. 15, 383–95.Google Scholar
Dewar, W. A. & McDonald, P. (1961). Determination of dry matter in silage by distillation with toluene. J. Sci. Fd Agric. 12, 790–5.Google Scholar
Egan, A. R. (1965). Nutritional status and intake regulation in sheep. 2. The influence of sustained duodenal infusions of casein or urea upon voluntary intake. Aust. J. agric. Res. 16, 451–62.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Elsden, S. R. & Gibson, Q. H. (1954). The estimation of lactic acid using ceric sulphate. Biochem. J. 58, 154–8.Google Scholar
King, W. A. (1943). Comparison of limestone and sodium bicarbonate as neutralizes for phosphoric acid oat silage. J. Dairy Sci. 26, 575—81.Google Scholar
Lesins, K. & Schulz, F. H. (1968). Some effects of bacterial inoculation in silage making. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 48, 15–25.Google Scholar
Manning, R., Alexander, G. I., Krueger, H. W. & Bogart, R. (1959). The effect of intravenous glucose injections on appetite in adult ewes. Am. J. Vet. Res. 20, 242–6.Google Scholar
McLeod, D. S. (1969). Silage acidity and ruminant intake. Ph.D. thesis, Reading University.Google Scholar
McLeod, D. S., Wilkins, R. J. & Raymond, W. F. (1970). The voluntary intake by sheep and cattle of silages differing in free acid content. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 75, 311–19.Google Scholar
Orth, A. & Kaufmann, W. (1966). Zur Wirkung von Bicarbonat auf die Futteraufnahme bei Milchkuhen. Z. Tierphysiol. Tierernähr. Futtermittelk. 21, 350–61.Google Scholar
Sullivan, J. (1961). Methods for the Analysis of Forage Plants with Particular Reference to Carbohydrate Constituents. Publ. U.S.D.A. Dept. G.N.-81-62.Google Scholar
Thomson, D. J. (1968). The digestibility and utilization of fresh grass, hay and silage. Anim. Prod. 10, 240.Google Scholar
Ulyatt, M. J. (1965). The effects of intra-ruminal infusion of volatile fatty acids on food intake of sheep. N.Z. Jl agric. Res. 8, 397–408.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Waite, R., Johnston, M. & Armstrong, D. G. (1964). The evaluation of artificially dried grass as a source of energy for sheep. 1. The effect of stage of maturity on the apparent digestibility of rye-grass, cocksfoot and timothy. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 62, 391–8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Waldo, D. R., Miller, R. W., Okamoto, M. & Moore, L. A. (1965). Ruminant utilization of silage in relation to hay, pellets and hay plus grain. Rumen content, dry matter passage and water intake. J. Dairy Sci. 48, 1473–80.Google Scholar
Weston, R. H. (1966). Factors limiting the intake of feed by sheep. 1. The significance of palatability, the capacity of the alimentary traot to handle digesta, and the supply of glucogenic substrate. Aust. J. agric. Res. 17, 939–54.Google Scholar