Ruminal Degradation Pattern and Amino Acid Production in Sheep Fed Six Feed Ingredients as Influenced by Time and Day

This study was designed to investigate hourly ruminal degradation pattern and daily Amino Acid (AA) production of sheep fed six feed ingredients during a nine consecutive days trial. Twelve sheep (av. BW 60 kg), with ruminal cannulas were assigned to six dietary treatments according to a 6×2 factorial arrangement in which dietary treatment were: Raw corn meal (T1), Processed corn meal (T2), Raw soybean meal (T3), Processed soybean meal (T4), Raw distillers dried grains with solubles (T5) and Processed distillers dried grains with solubles (T6) and 2 environment temperature (20 and 30°C). Animals were given restrict access to Totally Mixed Rations (TMR) and ruminally infused daily with each of the above ingredients. Digestive characteristics showed two hourly degradation of pH and NH₄⁺ differed (p<0.001) between sampling periods. Six hourly ruminal fermentation for acetate (C2) were affected (p<0.001) with greater production at noon sampling period. Propionic, butyric acids and acetate: propionate ratio (C2/C3) decreased (p<0.05) post noon sampling period. Environment temperature affected AA degradability with greater degradability achieved at 30°C for Val, Ser and Pro (p<0.05, p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively) during 6 h of ruminal incubation. Except Try, Cys and Val the entire AA detected showed daily increament (p<0.001) after 6 h of ruminal incubation. All other AA, but Val differed (p<0.001) during the 12 h daily sampling period. Concentrations of AA remaining in the bag after 6 and 12 h of incubation peaked at 6 and 4 h daily. In conclusion, degradability and AA output of feed ingredients differed between hours and days.