In Vitro Fermentation of Vitamin E in Various Feedstuffs in the Rumen: Nutrient Analysis of Feeds

Abstract

Digestibility experiments with forages have had significant value in determining their specific nutritive content for livestock (Tilley and Terry, 1963). With the high rates of animals being produced for consumption in confinement, a negative effect of this is that the animals are not receiving the proper nutrients to have healthy body functions and growth. Research shows that supplementing animals with adequate daily amounts of fat and water soluble vitamins and various minerals help the issue (Ballet, Robert and Williams, 2000). However, there is limited research of dry matter digestibility of certain vitamins. Thus, in vitro fermentation as described in the Tilley and Terry method (Tilley and to as the "untreated" group. Both groups were harvested and chopped in similar ways. The only difference is the addition of the bacteria. The hypothesis is that the type of silage production (treated v. untreated) will affect the vitamin E content in the forage and the level of fermentation profiles of other products. It is also predicted that the in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVTDMD) will be greater for those samples that have been treated and/ or exposed to the inoculums of lactobacillus. The use of the inoculants is to ensile forage in the forty eight hour time period as compared to the typical three or four week ensiling period with traditional sources of forages and therefore, less time will be needed to degrade the levels of vitamin E and raise dry matter digestibility (DMD).