The use of thein vitrofermentation technique to estimate the digestible energy content of some Egyptian forages II. Thein vitroproduction of total volatile fatty acids and organic acids as criteria of energy content

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Abstract
1. Four in vitro fermentation experiments, in duplicate, were carried out over 24 hr. periods, to estimate the production of v.f.a. and o.a from forages.2. A new technique for determining the total organic acids produced in the rumen is described.3. The o.a. produced in the earlier part of the fermentation are considerably higher than the v.f.a. but the difference then diminishes. There is practically no difference in the amounts produced after 24 hr.4. Highly significant correlations were found between the in vitro production of v.f.a. or o.a. and d.e./kg. d.m., for all the roughages tested. Nonlegumes gave a more highly significant correlation than legumes.5. Regression equations show that o.a. or v.f.a. were more accurate than in vitro cellulose digestion for predicting the d.e./kg. d.m. of non-legume forages. It is concluded that V.F.A. production in vitro is the best criterion in this respect.