Document Type : Research Paper
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Abstract
Two experiments were conducted in order to investigate the effect of steeping barley grain in lactic acid (LA) and citric acid (CA) on fermentability and degradability. In gas test experiment, treatments including dry rolled barley grain (DR) steeped in either tap water alone (DRw) or, in 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 percent of LA, and 0.5, 1, 1.5 percent of CA solutions for 24 hour. Results indicated that treated barley grain with 0.75 % LA and 1 % of CA significantly (P<0.05) decreased gas production until 6 h of incubation. Treatments had no significant effect on cumulative gas production after 6 h of incubation. In addition, gas production rate in LA0.75 and CA1 significantly were lower than that of DR and DRw. In the ruminal degradability experiment, dry matter degradation kinetics of four treatments including DR, DRw, DR steeped 0.75 % LA and 1 % CA solution measured. Treated barley grain in LA and CA in comparison to DR and DRw tented to decreased dry matter degradation rate. Effective degradation (ED) was significantly lower in CA-treated barley. In addition ED was numerically lower in LA as compared to DR and DRw treated -barley. In conclusion, steeping barley grain in 0.75 % LA and 1 % CA solution can be used as a useful barley processing technique in ruminant.
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