Table 2 The effect of alfalfa hay or concentrate starter on ruminal fermentation and blood parameter of pre-weaned lambs¹

 pH

6.60^a

6.85^a

5.14^b

0.17

< 0.001

 Total VFA, mmol/L

8.36^c

99.53^b

174.38^a

14.57

< 0.001

 Acetate, mmol/L

4.21^c

67.43^b

94.60^a

8.93

< 0.001

 Propionate, mmol/L

2.20^c

22.89^b

43.50^a

3.76

< 0.001

 Isobutyrate, mmol/L

0.43^b

0.92^a

0.48^b

0.06

< 0.001

 Butyrate, mmol/L

0.81^c

6.46^b

29.34^a

3.19

< 0.001

 Isovalerate, mmol/L

0.55^b

0.80^a

0.51^b

0.04

0.007

 Valerate, mmol/L

0.17^c

1.03^b

5.95^a

0.58

< 0.001

 Acetate: propionate

2.00

3.05

2.24

0.20

0.069

 NH₃-N, mmol/L

11.45^a

3.09^b

4.41^b

0.89

< 0.001

 MCP, mg/mL

0.20^c

0.81^b

3.02^a

0.29

< 0.001

 Glucose, mmol/L

6.56

5.95

6.71

0.25

0.438

 Insulin, μIU/mL

44.41

42.07

37.09

2.90

0.554

 IGF-1, ng/mL

392.06

358.67

346.80

17.01

0.588

 BHBA, mmol/L

0.31

0.47

0.58

0.05

0.125