Welcome to Acta Prataculturae Sinica ! Today is Share:

Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2009, Vol. 18 ›› Issue (3): 224-231.

Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effects of malic acid supplementation on rumen fermentation, nutrient digestion
and metabolism in Simmental steer

WANG Cong1, LIU Qiang1, DONG Qun1, YANG Xiao-min2, HE Dong-chang2, DONG Kuan-hu1   

  1. 1.College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu 030801, China;

    2. Institute of Animal Science, Shanxi Academy of Agricultural Science, Taiyuan 030032, China
  • Received:2008-07-07 Online:2009-06-20 Published:2009-06-20

Abstract: This study evaluated the effects of malic acid on rumen fermentation, urinary excretion of purine derivatives, nutrient digestibility, energy metabolism, and nitrogen balance of steers. Eight ruminally cannulated Simmental steers were used in a replicated 4×4 Latin square experiment. The treatment without malic acid was the control, and treatments 1, 2, and 3 were supplemented with 70, 140, and 210 g malic acid per steer per day, respectively. Ruminal pH of steers supplemented with malic acid at 140 and 210 g/d was significantly (P<0.05) lower than that in the control. The ratio of acetate to propionate, ruminal ammonia nitrogen and ruminal lactate concentrations of steers supplemented with malic acid at 140 and 210 g/d were significantly (P<0.05) lower than those at 70 and in the control. Total VFA concentration and the molar proportions of propionate and butyrate of steers supplemented with malic acid at 140 and 210 g/d were significantly (P<0.05) greater than those at 70 and in the control. Ruminal dry matter, organic matter, neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber degradation of corn straw in the 140 g/d malic acid treatment were significantly (P<0.05) greater than those in the control. Ruminal dry matter, organic matter and crude protein degradation of concentrate in the 210 g/d malic acid treatment were significantly (P<0.05) lower than those in thte other treatments. Allantoin concentration and urinary excretion of purine derivatives of steers in the 140 g/d malic acid treatment were significantly (P<0.05) greater than those in the 70, 210 g/d treatments and in the control. Dietary organic matter, nitrogen free extract, ether extract, neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber digestibilities of steers supplemented with malic acid at 140 and 210 g/d were significantly (P<0.05) greater than those in the control. Digestible energy, metabolizable energy, retention energy and the ratio of retention energy to digestible energy of steers in the 140 g/d malic acid treatment were significantly (P<0.05) greater than those in the control. Retention nitrogen of steers in the 140 g/d malic acid treatment was significantly (P<0.05) higher than that in the control. The results indicated that the optimum dose of malic acid supplement was 140 g/d.

CLC Number: