Studies of cattle and sheep eating leaf and stem fractions of grasses. 3. The retention time in the rumen of large feed particles

Abstract

Pangola grass (Digitavia decumbens) and Rhodes grass (Chlovis gayana) cut as 6 and 12 week regrowths were separated into leaf and stem fractions and fed ad libitum to four cattle and eight sheep fitted with ruminal fistulae to determine the importance of particle size in controlling the retention time of feed in the rumeno-reticulum (rumen). Particle size was determined by using a wet sieving technique, and based on the cumulative dry matter distribution on the sieves of faeces from cattle and sheep; all particles >1.18 mm were described as large particles. The proportion of large particles was measured in the chopped diet offered, the masticated diet, the ruminal contents and the faeces. Chopped leaf and stem fractions contained 0.85 and 0.86 g/g large particles respectively. Mastication by cattle reduced the proportion of large particles in leaf and stem to 0.58 and 0.76 (P < 0.01), and mastication by sheep to 0.56 and 0.67 (P < 0.01). The proportion of large particles in the rumen of sheep was 0.236 and 0.249 for leaf and stem respectively (P > 0.05) and in cattle 0.272 and 0.345 (P < 0.05). The faeces contained relatively few large feed particles (< 0.045 for cattle and <0.018 for sheep). Cattle eating leaf and stem produced faeces containing 0.027 and 0.040 (g/g) large particles (P <0.05), compared with only 0,008 and 0.013 (P < 0.05) in sheep. Most of the large particles entering the rumen in the masticated feed disappeared in the rumen by breakdown to smaller particles or by digestion. In cattle the proportions that disappeared were 0.978 and 0.976 (P > 0.05) for leaf and stem, and in sheep 0.993 and 0.991 (P > 0.05). Large particles in leaf and stem were retained in the rumen of the sheep for 11.0 and 11.7 h (P > 0.05). Cattle retained large particles in all diets for a longer time (P < 0.01); 16.1 h for leaf and 20,2 h for stem (P > 0.05). Differences in retention time of large particles in the rumen did not appear to be the only factor controlling the retention of dry matter in the rumen and voluntary intake. A model was developed to describe the flow of large and small particles through the rumen. Intake simulation studies indicated that the most important factor influencing dry matter retention time in the rumen was the retention time of small particles (> 1.18 mm). Changes in the rate of breakdown of large particles had a small effect on dry matter retention time.