Effect of intraruminal sucrose infusion on volatile fatty acid production and microbial protein synthesis in sheep

Abstract

Effects of sucrose supplement on the pattern of VFA production and microbial protein synthesis in the rumen were examined in sheep consuming basal diet of grass silage (2.5 kg fresh wt/d) that was provided in 24 equal meals each day by an automatic feeder. Four mature wethers were allocated to four experimental treatments in a 4x4 Latin square design with periods lasting 14 days. The treatments were (1) the basal diet, (2) supplemented with 150 g sucrose and 7.0 g urea, (3) 300 g sucrose and 13 g urea, and (4) 450 g sucrose and 20 g urea given as a continuous intraruminal infusion for 24 h. All infusions were given in 2 litres of aqueous solution per day using a peristaltic pump. The effect of sucrose level on rumen mean pH was significantly linear (p<0.01). There were not significant differences in the concentration of ammonia-N, total VFA and the molar proportions of acetate, propionate and butyrate with the level of sucrose infusion. The molar proportions of isobutyric acid (p<0.05) and isovaleric acid (p<0.001) were significantly reduced when the infused amount of sucrose was increased. The flow of microbial N was linearly (p<0.001) increased with sucrose and urea level. High levels of readily fermentable carbohydrate in a ration reduced the efficiency of microbial protein synthesis in the rumen. It was demonstrated that of the individual fatty acids, only the molar proportion of isovalerate showed a significant negative correlation (R2=0.3501**) with the amount of microbial N produced and a significant positive correlation (R2=0.2735**) with the efficiency of microbial growth.