δ13C as a marker to study digesta passage kinetics in ruminants: a combined in vivo and in vitro study

The aim of the current study was to explore the use of the tracer 13C as an internal marker to assess feed fraction-specific digesta passage kinetics through the digestive tract of dairy cows. Knowledge on feed-specific fractional passage rates is essential to improve estimations on the extent of ru...

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Main Authors: W.F. Pellikaan, M.W.A. Verstegen, S. Tamminga, J. Dijkstra, W.H. Hendriks
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2013-01-01
Series:Animal
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1751731112002303
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author W.F. Pellikaan
M.W.A. Verstegen
S. Tamminga
J. Dijkstra
W.H. Hendriks
author_facet W.F. Pellikaan
M.W.A. Verstegen
S. Tamminga
J. Dijkstra
W.H. Hendriks
author_sort W.F. Pellikaan
collection DOAJ
description The aim of the current study was to explore the use of the tracer 13C as an internal marker to assess feed fraction-specific digesta passage kinetics through the digestive tract of dairy cows. Knowledge on feed-specific fractional passage rates is essential to improve estimations on the extent of rumen degradation and microbial protein efficiency; however, this information is largely lacking. An in vivo and in vitro experiment was conducted with grass silages (Lolium perenne L.) that were enriched with 13C by growing the grass under elevated 13CO2 conditions. In a crossover design, two dairy cows received pulse doses of two 13C-enriched grass silages and chromium-mordanted neutral detergent fibre (Cr-NDF) into the rumen. The two 13C-enriched grass silages used differed in digestibility and were grown under identical field conditions as the bulk silages fed to the animals. Faecal excretion patterns of 13C-enriched dry matter (13C-DM), neutral detergent fibre (13C-NDF) and Cr-NDF were established, and a nonlinear multicompartmental model was used to determine their rumen passage kinetics. In addition, the 13C-enriched silages were incubated in rumen liquid in an in vitro batch culture system at different time intervals to determine the effect of fermentation on 13C-enrichment in the residue. The in vitro study showed that the 13C : 12C ratios in DM and NDF residues remained stable from 24 h of incubation onwards. In addition, in vitro fractional degradation rates for 12C in the DM and NDF did not differ from those of 13C, indicating that fermentative degradation does not affect the 13C : 12C ratio in the DM nor in the NDF fraction of the residue. Model fits to the faecal excretion curves showed a significant difference in fractional rumen passage rates between Cr-NDF, 13C-DM and 13C-NDF (P ⩽ 0.025). Silage type had no clear effect on rumen passage kinetics (P ⩾ 0.081). Moreover, it showed that peak enrichments for 13C-DM and 13C-NDF in faeces were reached at 30.7 and 41.7 h post dosing, respectively. This is well after the time (24 h) when the 13C : 12C ratios of the in vitro unfermented residues have reached stable enrichment level. Fractional rate constants for particle passage from the rumen are estimated from the descending slope of faecal excretion curves. The present study shows that the decline in 13C : 12C ratio after peak enrichment is not affected by fermentative degradation and therefore can be used to assess feed component-specific fractional passage rates.
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spelling doaj.art-8a379b104487408daa887074ea0b226d2022-12-21T22:12:09ZengElsevierAnimal1751-73112013-01-0175754767δ13C as a marker to study digesta passage kinetics in ruminants: a combined in vivo and in vitro studyW.F. Pellikaan0M.W.A. Verstegen1S. Tamminga2J. Dijkstra3W.H. Hendriks4Animal Nutrition Group, Wageningen University, PO Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, The NetherlandsAnimal Nutrition Group, Wageningen University, PO Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, The NetherlandsAnimal Nutrition Group, Wageningen University, PO Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, The NetherlandsAnimal Nutrition Group, Wageningen University, PO Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, The NetherlandsAnimal Nutrition Group, Wageningen University, PO Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, The NetherlandsThe aim of the current study was to explore the use of the tracer 13C as an internal marker to assess feed fraction-specific digesta passage kinetics through the digestive tract of dairy cows. Knowledge on feed-specific fractional passage rates is essential to improve estimations on the extent of rumen degradation and microbial protein efficiency; however, this information is largely lacking. An in vivo and in vitro experiment was conducted with grass silages (Lolium perenne L.) that were enriched with 13C by growing the grass under elevated 13CO2 conditions. In a crossover design, two dairy cows received pulse doses of two 13C-enriched grass silages and chromium-mordanted neutral detergent fibre (Cr-NDF) into the rumen. The two 13C-enriched grass silages used differed in digestibility and were grown under identical field conditions as the bulk silages fed to the animals. Faecal excretion patterns of 13C-enriched dry matter (13C-DM), neutral detergent fibre (13C-NDF) and Cr-NDF were established, and a nonlinear multicompartmental model was used to determine their rumen passage kinetics. In addition, the 13C-enriched silages were incubated in rumen liquid in an in vitro batch culture system at different time intervals to determine the effect of fermentation on 13C-enrichment in the residue. The in vitro study showed that the 13C : 12C ratios in DM and NDF residues remained stable from 24 h of incubation onwards. In addition, in vitro fractional degradation rates for 12C in the DM and NDF did not differ from those of 13C, indicating that fermentative degradation does not affect the 13C : 12C ratio in the DM nor in the NDF fraction of the residue. Model fits to the faecal excretion curves showed a significant difference in fractional rumen passage rates between Cr-NDF, 13C-DM and 13C-NDF (P ⩽ 0.025). Silage type had no clear effect on rumen passage kinetics (P ⩾ 0.081). Moreover, it showed that peak enrichments for 13C-DM and 13C-NDF in faeces were reached at 30.7 and 41.7 h post dosing, respectively. This is well after the time (24 h) when the 13C : 12C ratios of the in vitro unfermented residues have reached stable enrichment level. Fractional rate constants for particle passage from the rumen are estimated from the descending slope of faecal excretion curves. The present study shows that the decline in 13C : 12C ratio after peak enrichment is not affected by fermentative degradation and therefore can be used to assess feed component-specific fractional passage rates.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S175173111200230313C-isotopemarker passagegrass silagedairy cow
spellingShingle W.F. Pellikaan
M.W.A. Verstegen
S. Tamminga
J. Dijkstra
W.H. Hendriks
δ13C as a marker to study digesta passage kinetics in ruminants: a combined in vivo and in vitro study
Animal
13C-isotope
marker passage
grass silage
dairy cow
title δ13C as a marker to study digesta passage kinetics in ruminants: a combined in vivo and in vitro study
title_full δ13C as a marker to study digesta passage kinetics in ruminants: a combined in vivo and in vitro study
title_fullStr δ13C as a marker to study digesta passage kinetics in ruminants: a combined in vivo and in vitro study
title_full_unstemmed δ13C as a marker to study digesta passage kinetics in ruminants: a combined in vivo and in vitro study
title_short δ13C as a marker to study digesta passage kinetics in ruminants: a combined in vivo and in vitro study
title_sort δ13c as a marker to study digesta passage kinetics in ruminants a combined in vivo and in vitro study
topic 13C-isotope
marker passage
grass silage
dairy cow
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1751731112002303
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