Quantitative Studies of Digestion in the Reticulo-Rumen II. The digestion of insoluble carbohydrates in the reticulo-rumen

R.W. Bailey

Plant Chemistry Division, D.S.I.R., Palmerston North

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Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production. 1965, 25: 85-95

Problems associated with in vivo studies of the rumen digestion of the insoluble plant cell wall carbohydrates are reviewed and discussed. Representative samples of total rumen contents obtained at time intervals during a feeding experiment have been analysed for pectin, hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin. The bailing technique enables these samples to be obtained with a measure of the total rumen contents so that analytical results can be calculated on both as a percentage of dry weight and as total rumen contents.

Pectin is fermented rapidly compared with cellulose and hemicellulose, but slowly compared with soluble sugars.

Results with cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin are misleading when given on a change in percentage of dry weight basis and must be expressed in terms of changes in the total amount present in the rumen. There appears to be little loss of cellulose or hemicellulose during the period of feeding and up to 3 hours after feeding and no loss of lignin during feeding and up to 6 hours after feeding.

Keywords: NZSAPAB;

Last Updated 24-08-2000