Jan 23, 2009 - the calcium propionate supplementation potentially improves rumen fermentation and .... (grams of chromium per day) by chromium concen-.
Journal of Agricultural Science (2009), 147, 201–209. f 2009 Cambridge University Press doi:10.1017/S0021859609008429 Printed in the United Kingdom
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Effects of calcium propionate on rumen fermentation, urinary excretion of purine derivatives and feed digestibility in steers Q. L I U 1*, C. W A N G 1, G. G U O 1, W. Z . Y A N G 1,2, K. H . D O N G 1, Y. X . H U A N G 1, X. M . Y A N G 3 A N D D. C . H E 3 1
College of Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicines, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi 030801, P.R. China 2 Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Research Centre, P.O. Box 3000, Lethbridge, AB, Canada 3 Institute of Animal Science, Shanxi Academy of Agricultural Science, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030032, P.R. China (Revised MS received 7 November 2008; First published online 23 January 2009)
SUMMARY The objective of the current study was to evaluate the effects of calcium propionate supplementation on rumen fermentation, urinary excretion of purine derivatives (PD) and feed digestibility in the total gastrointestinal tract of steers. Eight ruminally cannulated Simmental steers (462¡14 kg) were used in a replicated 4r4 Latin square arrangement of treatments with experimental periods of 21 days. The treatments were : control (without calcium propionate), LCaP (calcium propionate – low), MCaP (calcium propionate – medium) and HCaP (calcium propionate – high) with 100, 200 and 300 g calcium propionate per steer per day. Diet consisted of 0.60 maize stover and 0.40 concentrate (dry matter (DM) basis). DM intake (average 9 kg/day) was restricted to a maximum of 0.90 of ad libitum intake. Ruminal pH (range of 6.7–6.5) linearly (P
