Table 4 Ruminal metabolites and kinetic of digestion of three total mixed rations containing three different sources of non-fiber carbohydrate

pH

6.62^c

6.73^b

6.83^a

0.002

0.003

NH₃-N², mg/dL

6.76^b

6.68^b

7.71^a

0.111

0.035

VFA concentration

Total, mmol/L

125.44^a

121.21^b

125.01^a

0.650

<0.001

Acetate, mol/100 mol

58.21^c

60.21^b

63.05^a

0.435

<0.001

Propionate, mol/100 mol

26.75^a

25.45^b

23.04^c

0.121

<0.001

Butyrate, mol/100 mol

6.48

6.33

6.28

0.104

0.075

Isobutytate, mol/100 mol

2.39^a

2.29^a

2.11^b

0.093

0.023

Valerate, mol/100 mol

3.47^a

3.35^ab

3.25^b

0.096

<0.001

Isovalerate, mol/100 mol

2.49^a

2.37^ab

2.27^b

0.073

0.014

Acetate: propionate

2.16^c

2.37^b

2.75^a

0.053

<0.001

Ruminal passage rate, %/h

4.36^b

5.46^a

4.06^c

0.097

0.012

Ruminal mean retention time, h

23.48^b

18.32^c

24.63^a

0.871

0.002

Total mean retention time, h

54.36^b

52.64^b

61.35^a

1.214

0.003

Time delay, h

9.25^b

10.24^a

9.86^ab

0.444

0.021