VPB 321: Animal Biotechnology (2+1)

NEED FOR RUMEN MANIPULATION

• Fibrous feeds and cereal crop residues of low digestibility comprise the major proportion of feed available to most ruminants.
• Because of feeding of ruminants with the feed of low digestible fibrous feeds, productivity of these livestock has been extremely low evidenced by low growth rates, late maturity, low reproduction rates, late maturity, low reproduction rates, low milk yield and stunted mature body size.
• Rumen fermentation has to be optimized to improve feed utilization in ruminants.
• This is done to maximize the digestion of lignocellulosic compounds and the use of non-protein nitrogen, while allowing other nutrients (i.e., proteins, starch and lipids) to escape rumen fermentation.