Effect of Feeding Certain Silages on the Relative Concentrations of Rumen Volatile Fatty Acids

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Abstract
Two fistulated cows were used in 3 trials to determine the effect of feeding hay-crop and corn silages on the relative concentrations of the major rumen volatile fatty acids. As the sole roughage, corn silage compared with hay-crop silage resulted in a greater total volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration, a greater relative proportion of propionic and smaller proportions of "butyric and higher" and acetic acids in rumen liquor samples. These differences were significant statistically. As part of the roughage (replacing hay) neither corn nor hay-crop silages significantly affected total concentration or relative proportions of the VFA.