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Effects of alfalfa hay particle size and cottonseed hulls as nonforage fiber source on chewing activity and rumen pH

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 November 2017

H. Abdi Benemar*
Affiliation:
University of Tehran, Karaj, Tehran, Iran
K. Reza Yazdi
Affiliation:
University of Tehran, Karaj, Tehran, Iran
A. Nikkhah
Affiliation:
University of Tehran, Karaj, Tehran, Iran
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Extract

Ration particle size has been observed to affect DMI, chewing activity, rumen pH, milk fat and nutrient digestibility (Yang et al., 2001; Grant et al., 1990). Nonforage fiber sources (NFFS) possess a large amount of NDF that can be used as a forage substitute based on their price and availability. Cottonseed hulls (CSH), a by-product of cotton processing, contain a large proportion of NDF and associated lignin, and have been considered a useful NFFS. It was suggested that physical characteristics of dietary forage can interact with nonforage fiber sources (Grant, 1997). The objectives of this study were to determine effects of CSH as nonforage fiber sources and to investigate interaction between CSH as NFFS and alfalfa particle size on Chewing Activity and rumen pH.

Type
Theatre Presentations
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Science 2007

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References

Grant, R. J., 1997. Interaction among forage and nonforage fiber sources. J. Dairy Sci. 80: 1438–1446.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
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Yang, W. Z., Beauchemin, K. A., and Rode, L. A. 2001. Effects of grain processing, forage to concentrate ration, and forage particle size on rumen pH and digestion by dairy cattle. J. Dairy Sci. 84: 2203–2216.Google Scholar