Ruminant Metabolism

Question 1

Where does ruminant carbohydrate digestion mostly occur?

Answer 1

rumen

Question 2

Microbes digest carbohydrates into

Answer 2

VFAs

Question 3

What happens to volatile fatty acids?

Answer 3

absorbed through the rumen wall & enter the hepatic portal system

Question 4

What are the 3 VFAs?

Answer 4

-acetate
-proponate
-butyrate

Question 5

Whats the fate of acetate?

Answer 5

acetyl-CoA; used for
-energy
-FA synthesis

Question 6

Whats the fate of propionate?

Answer 6

Succinyl CoA
-glucose
-energy

Question 7

Whats the fate of butyrate?

Answer 7

b-hydroxybutyrate
-energy

Question 8

Tell me about roughages

Answer 8

-low in energy
-used by ruminants and non ruminant herbivores
-pasture, hay, silage, crop residues, by-products

Question 9

What proteins are in forages?

Answer 9

amino acids, nitrates, ammonia

Question 10

What vitamin is high in forages?

Answer 10

B vitamin content

Question 11

What does mineral composition depend on?

Answer 11

plant species and soil mineral content

Question 12

High Ca and Mg content in

Answer 12

legumes

Question 13

P low in

Answer 13

legumes and grasses

Question 14

What is normally high in forages?

Answer 14

K

Question 15

What are the cool-season grasses?

Answer 15

-timothy
-orchard grass
-tall fescue
-ryegrass

Question 16

What does ergot cause?

Answer 16

necrosis of tips of extremities, lameness, heat stress, agalactia, abortions, retained placenta, fat necrosis

Question 17

What are the warm season grasses?

Answer 17

-bermudagrass
-bahiagrass

Question 18

How are legumes characterized

Answer 18

-by rhizobia bacteria associated with roots of plant
-superior to grasses in protein, energy, Ca, Mg

Question 19

What does rhizobia bacteria do?

Answer 19

fixes N
-N is incorporated into legumes giving them higher CP than grasses

Question 20

What are legume examples?

Answer 20

-alfafa
-red clover
-white clover
-alsike clover
-sweetclover

Question 21

Grazing

Answer 21

allows animal to harvest forage

Question 22

What are extensive grazing systems?

Answer 22

rangelands

Question 23

What is an intensive grazing system?

Answer 23

-high density of animals per unit land
-pastures fenced, managed
-3 types

Question 24

Continuous

Answer 24

stock animals on pasture continuously

Question 25

Rotational

Answer 25

divides pasture into sections & move animals every couple of days to allow for regrowth

Question 26

Strip

Answer 26

give animals access to a new strip every day

Question 27

Haymaking

Answer 27

dehydrating green forage to moisture of 15% or less