As with all other species, the primary focus in the nutrition of ruminant animals is meeting animal’s nutritional requirements. However, animal health, welfare, and metabolic status must be considered when meeting these needs. Therefore, understanding carbohydrate systems is crucial in ruminant nutrition. Starch, non-starch polysaccharides, sugars, and fibres are important carbohydrates in animal nutrition. Neutral detergent fibre (NDF), formed by cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, is primarily associated with dry matter intake. In addition, the concept of physically effective NDF (peNDF), which is related to total mixed ration (TMR) particle size, is becoming quite widespread in ruminant feeding practice. The aim of this review is to discuss the effects of evaluating peNDF as a ration criterion in ruminant nutrition on dry matter intake, performance characteristics, rumen parameters, feeding behavior, and rumination.
Akdağ et al. (Fri,) studied this question.
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