Oertzenweg 19 b
14163 Berlin
+49 30 838 62600
physiologie@vetmed.fu-berlin.de
This study was conducted to evaluate whether the severity of short-
term feed restriction (FR) affects ruminal function. Eighteen ruminally cannulated heifers were blocked by BW and randomly assigned to 1 of
3 treatments differing in the severity of FR; 75, 50, or 25% of ad libitum
intake relative to the baseline period. Each heifer was exposed to 14 d
for adaptation, 5 d for baseline, 5 d of FR, and 3 wk of recovery (R1, R2,
and R3). Heifers were fed the same diet (60% forage: 40% concentrate)
throughout the study and were fed ad libitum during the baseline and
recovery periods. Water was available at all times. Ruminal pH and DMI
were measured daily and absorptive function was evaluated using the
temporarily isolated and washed reticulo-rumen technique. There was
a treatment × period interaction for DMI (
P< 0.01) with lowest values
for 25% (2.65 kg/d), intermediate for 50% (5.3 kg/d), and greatest for
75% (8.2 kg/d) during FR, but differences were not observed among
treatments within other periods. Treatment × period interactions were
also detected for nadir (P< 0.01), mean (
P< 0.01) and maximum (P< 0.01) ruminal pH. Generally, heifers fed 25% increased pH to a greater
extent during FR but decreased to a greater extent during R1 when
compared with those fed 50 and 75%. The area (
P < 0.01) that pH <5.5
was smaller during FR (0.4 pH × min/d) and greater during R1 (80.4
pH × min/d) than baseline (24.2 pH × min/d), but R2 and R3 (44.9 and
36.2 pH × min/d, respectively) did not differ from baseline. The abso
-lute rate (mmol/h) for acetate absorption (
P < 0.01) was greater during
baseline (332.1 mmol/h) than FR (253.5 mmol/h) with the rate being
faster in R3 relative to FR; however, the rates did not differ between R1
(320.0 mmol/h) and R3 (343.8 mmol/h). Absolute rates for propionate
and butyrate absorption (period effect,
P ≤ 0.04) also followed a similar
pattern as for acetate, except that baseline and FR values did not differ.
The results of this study indicate that 5-d FR increases the risk for
ruminal acidosis, regardless of the severity of FR imposed, which may
be linked to negative carry-over effects of FR on acetate absorption.