Table 4 Effects of corn processing method (steam-flaking vs. grinding) in starter diet and weaning age (50 vs. 75) on ruminal fermentation variables determined on d 80 of the experiment (n = 12 per treatment).
Items | SFC | GC | SEM | Contrast, P-value | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
50 | 75 | 50 | 75 | C | W | C × W | ||
Ruminal pH | 5.64 | 5.54 | 5.79 | 5.81 | 0.19 | 0.20 | 0.64 | 0.57 |
Ammonia, mg/dL | 5.46 | 5.94 | 6.61 | 7.21 | 0.86 | 0.17 | 0.54 | 0.94 |
Total VFA, mM | 167 | 153 | 123 | 140 | 11.8 | 0.02 | 0.88 | 0.19 |
Individual VFA, mol/100 mol | ||||||||
Acetate | 52.4 | 51.8 | 53.3 | 50.7 | 1.28 | 0.96 | 0.21 | 0.42 |
Propionate | 33.3 | 35.1 | 30.1 | 33.2 | 1.37 | 0.06 | 0.08 | 0.61 |
Butyrate | 8.62 | 8.53 | 10.6 | 10.2 | 0.75 | 0.02 | 0.73 | 0.81 |
Iso-butyrate | 0.34 | 0.41 | 0.57 | 0.91 | 0.15 | 0.22 | 0.20 | 0.40 |
Valerate | 4.73 | 3.21 | 4.20 | 3.30 | 0.58 | 0.71 | 0.04 | 0.79 |
Isovalerate | 0.50 | 0.87 | 1.06 | 1.57 | 0.30 | 0.04 | 0.15 | 0.80 |
Acetate: propionate | 1.57 | 1.48 | 1.82 | 1.55 | 0.10 | 0.15 | 0.10 | 0.38 |
