Welcome to Acta Prataculturae Sinica ! Today is Share:

Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2018, Vol. 27 ›› Issue (2): 182-191.DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2017377

• CONTENTS • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effects of adding oat hay to the diet on in vitro ruminal fermentation

ZHANG Bi-yang1, ZHAO Gui-qin1, 2, 3, 4, *, JIAO Ting1, 2, 3, CHAI Ji-kuan1, 2, GOU Zhi-qiang1, XU Xing-ze1, YAN Che-tai1   

  1. 1.College of Pratacultural Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China;
    2.Key Laboratory of Ministry of Grassland Ecosystem, Ministry of Education, Lanzhou 730070, China;
    3.Pratacultural Engineering Laboratory of Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730070, China;
    4.Sino-US Center for Grazingland Ecosystem Sustainability, Lanzhou 730070, China
  • Received:2017-09-06 Revised:2017-10-27 Online:2018-02-20 Published:2018-02-20

Abstract: The aim of these experiments was to investigate the effects of including oat hay in the diet on in vitro ruminal fermentation. Ruminal fluid was collected from six cross breed sheep (Merino×Mongolian) with similar body condition and body weight (70.32±2.14 kg). The three diets had different ratios of oat hay and corn silage (dry matter basis), i.e., C1 (concentrated feed+100% corn silage), C2 (concentrated feed+50% oat hay+50% corn silage) and C3 (concentrated feed+100% oat hay). In all the diets, the ratio of concentrate to roughage was 35:65. The results indicated that: 1) adding oat hay to the diet significantly increased gas production and methane production (P<0.05). Gas production was slightly higher in the C2 group than in the other groups, while methane production in the C2 group was lower than that in the C3 group but higher than that in the C1 group. 2) Adding oat hay to the diet did not affect pH, but it significantly increased the NH3-N content (P<0.05). The NH3-N content was slightly higher in the C2 and C3 groups than in the C1 group. Adding oat hay to diets did not affect the proportion of propionic acid, but significantly increased the proportion of total volatile fatty acids, acetate acid, and butyric acid, and the acetate/propionate ratio (P<0.05). 3) Adding oat hay to the diet significantly increased the in vitro dry matter degradation rate and in vitro protein degradation rate, and promoted degradation of rumen nutrients. 4) The highest multiple-factors associative effects index was in the C2 group, followed by the C1 group. In conclusion, in a 35∶65 concentrate: roughage ratio diet, the C2 diet (1∶1) could improve the rumen environment, and achieve the maximum combined effect.