Dietary-Induced Thermogenesis and feed Evaluation in Ruminants

Abstract

In simple-stomached animals it is still uncertain if the composition of absorbed nutrients affects dietary-induced thermogenesis. For instance MacLeod et al. (1989) found no change in percentage energy retention in poultry that were given different amounts of protein, carbohydrate and fat. In ruminants, however, it is generally recognized that the heat produced from similar amounts of metabolizable energy (ME) is greater from a diet based on cellulosic roughage than from one based on concentrates. The recognition of these differences is not new and not in dispute but sometimes heated debates have taken place as to the exact cause of the differences.