Evaluation of neutral detergent fiber contents in forages, concentrates and cattle feces ground at different particle sizes and using bags made from different textiles

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Abstract
Two experiments were carried out to evaluate the effects of particles sizes on contents of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) by using nylon bags F57 (Ankom®) and non-woven textile (NWT 100 g/m²). In the first experiment, to check contents of NDF obtained with each one of the textilles, quantitative filter paper (purified cellulose) was used as analytical standard. The material was processed in a 1 or 2 mm and put in the bags in a ratio of 20 mg of dry matter/cm² of surface. The analyses were performed in a fiber analyser (Ankom220) and using a heat-stable a-amylase. No effects of particles sizes were found. In the second experiment, it was used samples of forage (signal grass hay, sugar cane, coastcross hay, corn straw, corn silage, and elephant grass at 50 and 250 days of growing after cutting), concentrate feeds (sorghum grain, gluten meal, citrus pulp, cottonseed meal, soybean meal, wheat bran, corn grain, whole soybean, and soybean hulls), and feces of cattle of animals fed diets containing 15 or 50% of concentrate. The samples were prepared, put in bags, and analyzed as described in the previous experiment. In both experiments, the smallest contents of NDF were found by using nylon bags, indicating loss of particles through the bag porosity. It is suggested grind of samples by using 1-mm screen sieve, which provides efficient extraction of cell content by the action of neutral detergent and a greater specific surface by the action of the heat-stable a-amylase enzyme. The use of particles ground at 2-mm overestimates NDF contents.