Volatile fatty acids in cattle supplemented with protein-enriched salt and sodium monensin

The effects of sodium monensin and protein supplements on volatile fatty acid production were studied in a 4 x 4 Latin Square design, using four female bovines equipped with rumen fistulae and fed Brachiaria brizantha Marandu cultivar hay. The treatments were organized in a 2 X 2 factorial array (with or without 160 mg of sodium monensin/animal/day and with or without protein supplements). Protein supplementation increased the concentration of acetic acid and sodium monensin reduced the concentrations of acetic and butyric acids and the acetic : proprionic ratio, both with and without protein supplements, except for the material collected at 8 h. Sodium monensin reduced the total concentration of fatty acids only in the material collected at 0 h, while protein supplementation increased the concentration of fatty acids at 4, 6 and 8 h. Used together, they increased the molar concentration of propionate in the rumen fluid, without decreasing the total concentration of fatty acids.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Neto,G.B., Berndt,A., Nogueira,J.R., Nogueira,J.C., Demarchi,J.J.A.A.
Format:	Digital revista
Language:	English
Published:	The South African Society for Animal Science (SASAS) 2009
Online Access:	http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0375-15892009000500067
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