Citation

Toyokawa, K., Studies on the utilization of rice straw. III. The production of volatile fatty acids (VFA) in the rumen of sheep. Bulletin of the Faculty of Agriculture, Hirosaki University 21: 38-45, 1973.

Abstract

The experiments were carried out with two rams(trial 1) and four fistulated wethers (trial 2) to find the effects of rice straw on the production of VFA. Sheep were fed individually. Wheat bran was given as concentrate in two equal meals at p a.m. and 5p.m. Wheat bran at trial 2 was 0, 400G. and ad lib. per head daily. Rice straw, alfalfa hay cube, water, and salt blocks containing trace minerals were available at each time, results were as follows:

1. In the trial where only rice straw was fed, VFA concentration of the rumen juice was 45m/M/l. This level of VFA concentration was about 30 per cent of the case of alfalfa hay cub only. When rice straw and wheat bran were fed ad lib., the concentration of VFA produced was 83.5mM/l. This concentration was about 66 per cent of the case of the alfalfa hay cube only.

2. The average molar ration of acetic acid: propionic acid: butyric acid of the case of rice straw only, rice straw ad lib. +wheat bran 400g. and rice straw ad lib. +wheat bran ad lib. were 73.3: 21.4: 5.3: 73.4: 17.3: 9.3 and 56.9:26.7:17.4 respectively. Butyric acid had a trend upward as the level feeding wheat bran increased. However, the concentration of acetic acid and propionic acid were seemed to be low and high respectively, in rice straw ad lib. + wheat bran ad lib., although some differences in the ratio of the acids were observed between rice straw only and rice straw ad lib + wheat bran 400g. These differences of molar ratios of the three volatile acids in rumen juice were slight between rice straw and alfalfa hay cube. The difference, however, became significant when wheat bran ad lib. was added to both the two groups.

   The following conclusion was obtained from these experiments. The difference in molar rations of VFA between rice straw diet and alfalfa hay cube diet is slight. However, the VFA concentration of rice straw diet is smaller than alfalfa hay cube diet. The methods to improve the low VFA concentration of rice straw diet should be studied.

Country, State, District, etc.

Japan

Language

Japanese (English abstract and title)

Material

rice straw

Use category

animal feed