Comparison of Urea and Protein Meals as Nitrogen Sources for Rumen Microorganisms: The Production of Volatile Fatty Acids

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Abstract
Urea as the sole nitrogen source in the artificial rumen promoted the formation of higher levels of propionic acid and lower levels of butyric and valeric acids than did nitrogen equivalent amounts of high protein feeds such as soybean, linseed, cottonseed and corn gluten meals. The acetic acid level and the total quantity of volatile fatty acids were unaffected by the type of nitrogen substrate. It is postulated that high propionic acid production is the result of high celluloytic activity in the rumen in the presence of a highly readily available source of nitrogen such as urea. Copyright © . .