| Abstract: | An in vitro fermentation trial was conducted to compare nutrient disappearance and end product production of weathered and nonweathered sorghum. Grain of one line was harvested before and after the rains, cleaned and processed and incubated for 12 hr with rumen fluid from a steer fed a high concentrate ration. Treatments compared consisted of weathered vs nonweathered, large (.841 mm) vs small (.210 mm) particles and addition of cellulose vs control tubes. Nutrient disappearance was not affected by weathering but was increased in tubes containing the small rather than large particles. Total volatile fatty acid concentrations were higher in weathered grain (P<.05) and in incubation tubes containing the smaller particle size (P<.01). The ratio of acetate: propionate followed similar patterns indicating that the effect of weathering was associated with the smaller particle size of weathered grain. Addition of cellulose had no effect on dry matter disappearance or volatile fatty acid production. |
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