Degradability Characteristics of Treated and Untreated Barley Grain Using In situ Technique

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine of degradability characteristics of untreated barely grain (UBG) and treated barley grain with autoclaving at 120°C, 5´ (TBG₁) and 20' (TBG₂), treated barley grain at 100°C, 5´ (TBG₃) and 20' (TBG₄), using in situ technique in Ghizel sheep’s. The sheep fed diet content 40% alfalfa: 60% concentrate containing 2.9 Mcal kg⁻¹ DM and 14% CP. The incubation times were 0, 4, 8, 16, 24, 36 and 48 h and rumen degradation of cp and DM was measured. The equation of p = a+b (1-e^−ct) was used for fitting of dry matter and crude protein disappearance data. The dry matter disappearance of TBG₁ and TBG₂ at 24 and 48 h were lower than the other treatments (p<0.05). The crude protein disappearance of 24 and 48 h of UBG was more than the other treatment (p<0.05). Treating of barley grain of 120°C (5' and 20') can be decreased ruminal crude protein degradability of barley grain resulting high escaped crude protein into lower digestive tract.