Ruminant Metabolism Flashcards
Where does ruminant carbohydrate digestion mostly occur?
rumen
Microbes digest carbohydrates into
VFAs
What happens to volatile fatty acids?
absorbed through the rumen wall & enter the hepatic portal system
What are the 3 VFAs?
-acetate
-proponate
-butyrate
Whats the fate of acetate?
acetyl-CoA; used for
-energy
-FA synthesis
Whats the fate of propionate?
Succinyl CoA
-glucose
-energy
Whats the fate of butyrate?
b-hydroxybutyrate
-energy
Tell me about roughages
-low in energy
-used by ruminants and non ruminant herbivores
-pasture, hay, silage, crop residues, by-products
What proteins are in forages?
amino acids, nitrates, ammonia
What vitamin is high in forages?
B vitamin content
What does mineral composition depend on?
plant species and soil mineral content
High Ca and Mg content in
legumes
P low in
legumes and grasses
What is normally high in forages?
K
What are the cool-season grasses?
-timothy
-orchard grass
-tall fescue
-ryegrass
What does ergot cause?
necrosis of tips of extremities, lameness, heat stress, agalactia, abortions, retained placenta, fat necrosis
What are the warm season grasses?
-bermudagrass
-bahiagrass
How are legumes characterized
-by rhizobia bacteria associated with roots of plant
-superior to grasses in protein, energy, Ca, Mg
What does rhizobia bacteria do?
fixes N
-N is incorporated into legumes giving them higher CP than grasses
What are legume examples?
-alfafa
-red clover
-white clover
-alsike clover
-sweetclover
Grazing
allows animal to harvest forage
What are extensive grazing systems?
rangelands
What is an intensive grazing system?
-high density of animals per unit land
-pastures fenced, managed
-3 types
Continuous
stock animals on pasture continuously
Rotational
divides pasture into sections & move animals every couple of days to allow for regrowth
Strip
give animals access to a new strip every day
Haymaking
dehydrating green forage to moisture of 15% or less
