The digestion of hay administered to cows through rumen fistulas

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Abstract
Three cows received 14 lb hay daily in 2 meals. Either they were allowed to eat the hay normally or it was coarsely chopped and pushed by hand through rumen fistulas and into the ventral sac of the rumen. The animals showed no discomfort when hay was placed in the rumen. When the cows received their hay through the fistula, the pH and the concentrations of sodium, potassium, chloride, carbon dioxide, total volatile fatty acids and ammonia in the rumen contents differed little from those found when they ate the hay. There was, however, some tendency for the level of K in the rumen fluid to be high while the cows received their hay through the fistula. The digestibility of the dry matter of the hay and the percentage of dry matter in the contents of the reticulo-rumen were not changed when the hay was administered through the fistula, but the amount of dry matter in the reticulo-rumen was increased. Moreover, in each 24 hr the amount of time spent ruminating increased approximately from 30% (430 min) with normal eating to 44% (630 min) with hay placed in the rumen. It is concluded that provided these slight changes in rumen function are appreciated the administration of food through the fistula might have occasional use in experiments.

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