Authors : Sirirat Buaphan, Virote Pattarajinda, Mark A. Froetshel, Monchai Duangjinda and Yanin Opatpattanakit
Abstract: This study investigated the effects of varying the Soluble Protein (SP) and sugar concentration in total mixed rations. Four crossbred Thai native steers, 241±26 kg BW, fitted with rumen cannulae were arranged in a 4x4 Latin square design with a 2x2 factorial arrangement of treatments. The steers were fed treatment rations with varied SP (60.0 or 80.0% of CP) and sugar (11.0 or 22.0% of DM) levels. Steers fed a high SP diet tended to exhibit a decrease in their DMI (p<0.10) as compared with those fed a low SP diet. The high sugar-level diet decreased the ADF intake (p<0.05). The rumen pH, NH3-N, BUN and BG levels were not significantly different after increasing the intake of SP or sugar. Increasing the SP and sugar levels did not affect the total VFA concentration in the rumen however, feeding a high SP diet tended to decrease the acetate concentration (p<0.10; 55.5 and 64.8%). The high SP-level diet decreased the total tract ADF (p<0.05), DM and OM (p<0.10) digestibility. This study indicated that a low SP and sugar level diet had more positive effects on the intake, ruminal fermentation and nutrient digestibility in crossbred Thai steers.
Sirirat Buaphan, Virote Pattarajinda, Mark A. Froetshel, Monchai Duangjinda and Yanin Opatpattanakit, 2011. The Effects of Soluble Protein and Sugar Concentration on Ruminal Fermentation and Nutrient Digestibility in Crossbred Steers. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 10: 1724-1730.