Symposium on Factors Influencing the Voluntary Intake of Herbage by Ruminants: Physiological and Physical Factors Limiting Feed Intake

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Abstract
Evidence from experiments discussed indicates that the amount of acetic acid (and in some cases other rumen metabolites) presented daily for metabolism by the animal's tissue reduce feed intake. These results suggest that chemostatic mechanisms are important factors in controlling appetite in ruminants. Similarly, thermal stress is manifested by marked reductions in feed intake in sheep and cattle at high environmental temperatures or from eating rations having a high calorigenic effect. Existence of thermosensitive areas in the hypothalamus have been demonstrated. Thus, one is justified in concluding that thermostatic mechanisms may dominate regulation of feed intake independently of other factors. If the concept that the content of undigested feed residues in the digestive tract may be sufficient to physically limit feed intake is accepted as another independent limiting factor, the important limits governing feed intake in ruminants appear to be described. Copyright © 1966. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1966 by American Society of Animal Science

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