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Change of Functional Specific Gravity of Forages in Various Solutions

University of Vermont, Burlington 05405

ABSTRACT

This research was to determine whether solutions in which ground hay samples were immersed affected rate of change of functional specific gravity of forages. Specific gravities for forage samples in ruminal fluid were higher than those in water at all eight times of observation between 1 and 24 h.

Two additional experiments were to determine which fraction of ruminal fluid contributed to the accelerated change of specific gravity. Specific gravities of samples in solutions containing sialic acid or mucin protein from bovine submaxillary gland were not different from samples in water. Specific gravity increased more rapidly in McDougall's solution without sodium bicarbonate than in water. This suggests that ionic composition and concentration are more important in affecting change of specific gravity than is mucin protein content. The effect of increased ionic concentration on specific gravity may explain partially the increased turnover rate in animals fed supplemental buffers or sodium chloride.

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