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Ruminant Nutrition and Forage Utilization
Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences 1999;12(6): 904-907.
https://doi.org/10.5713/ajas.1999.904    Published online September 1, 1999.
Effect of Ruminal NH3-N Levels on Ruminal Fermentation, Purine Derivatives, Digestibility and Rice Straw Intake in Swamp Buffaloes
M. Wanapat, O. Pimpa
Abstract
The experiment was aimed at studying the effect of ruminal NH3-N levels on ruminal fermentation, microbial population, urinary purine derivative excretion, digestibility and rice straw intake in swamp buffaloes. Five, 3 to 4 years old, rumen fistulated swamp buffaloes were randomly assigned according to a 5횞5 Latin square design to rceive five different intraruminal infusions of NH3HCO3 (0, 150, 300, 450 and 600 g/d) on a continuous daily basis. Rice straw as a roughage was offered ad libitum while concentrate was given at 0.8% BW daily. The results were that as levels of NH3HCO3 increased, ruminal NH3-N concentrations increased from 7.1 to 34.4 mg. The highest digestibility and voluntary straw intakes were found at 13.6 to 17.6 mg% ruminal NH3-N levels; straw intake was highest at 13.6 mg%. Total bacterial and protozoal counts linearly increased as the ruminal NH3-N increased and were highest at 17.6 mg%. Total urinary purine derivatives and allantoin excretion were highest (44.0, 37.4 mM/d at 17.6 mg% ruminal NH3-N. Highst total VFAs (115 mM) were obtained a 13.6 mg% ruminal NH3-N while blood urea nitrogen significantly increased as ruminal NH3-N increased. The results from this experiment suggest that optimum ruminal NH3-N in swamp buffaloes is higher than 13.6 mg%, for improving rumen ecology, microbial protein synthesis, digestibility and straw intake.
Keywords: Swamp Buffalo; Ruminal NH3-N; VFA; Purine Derivatives; Microbial Population; Rice Straw


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