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Improving the prediction of rumen volatile fatty acids in lactating dairy cows

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 November 2021

A. Bannink
Affiliation:
Institute for Animal Science and Health (ID-DLO), P.O. Box 65, 8200 AB Lelystad, The Netherlands
J. France
Affiliation:
Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research, North Wyke Research Station, Okehampton, Devon EX20 2SB, United Kingdom
J. Dijkstra
Affiliation:
Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research, North Wyke Research Station, Okehampton, Devon EX20 2SB, United Kingdom
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Extract

Volatile fatty acids (VFA) constitute the largest fraction of metabolizable energy absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract of dairy cows. The molar proportion of individual VFA is important because individual VFA have a different fate in intermediary metabolism. However, rumen models predict the VFA molar proportions inaccurately from feed characteristics (Dijkstra, 1993). To investigate what model elements are responsible for this inaccuracy, modified descriptions of several elements were tested and sensitivity of VFA predictions was determined. This simulation study aims to identify model elements whose improved description can contribute to a more accurate prediction of VFA molar proportions.

Type
Techniques
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Science 1996

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References

Baldwin, R.L. 1995. Modeling Ruminant Digestion and Metabolism. Chapman & Hall, London.Google Scholar
Dijkstra, J. 1993. Mathematical Modelling and Integration of Rumen Fermentation Processes. PhD Thesis, Wageningen Agricultural University, The Netherlands.Google Scholar