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Diurnal Variation in Rumen Volume and Metabolite Concentrations

Research Department, Agricultural Division, Monsanto Company, St. Louis, Missouri 63166

ABSTRACT

Average volumes of whole rumen contents were 3.33, 2.83, 3.38, and 3.47 liters for 10 wethers with free access to water and 2.87, 2.64, 3.13, and 3.23 for 10 wethers deprived of water 4, 8, 12, and 24 hours post-prandial. The rate of ¹⁴⁴Ce dilution for fluid flow into the rumen was inversely proportional to time post-feeding ( = 38.61 – 12.546 ln x). Actual flow of contents out of the rumen for 4 to 8, 8 to 12, and 12 to 24 hours after feeding were 730, 170, and 85 ml per hour for wethers given water and 490, 150, and 120 ml per hour for those without water. Total rumen dry matter () decreased linearly with time (x) when both variables were plotted as logarithms base e according to the regression equation = 985x^–0.338. Rumen volatile fatty acids were higher 4 and 8 hours after feeding in sheep deprived of water than in those with free access to water. Respective regression equations were = 19.5e^–0.034x and = 26.0e^–0.040x for sheep with and without water. In vitro gas production rate of whole rumen contents decreased with time post-feeding. Gas production rate was not significantly affected by treatment when the data were expressed as milliliters of gas produced per minute for the total rumen mass. A semilog plot of total gas production rate fit a straight line and a regression equation = 58.3e^–0.0431x. Total rumen deoxyribonucleic acid was not affected by treatment or sampling time.