Digestibility and rumen fermentation of a high forage diet pre-treated with a mixture of cellulase and xylanase enzymes

Forages play an important role in ruminant animal production worldwide. Unlocking the nutritional potential of poor-quality tropical forages with fibrolytic enzymes would improve forage digestibility and utilization. Using vitro vivo methods this study investigated effect pre-treating Smutsfinger hay for 24 hours a mixture enzyme (100% cellulase; 75% cellulase: 25% xylanase; 50% 100% xylanase control no enzyme) on ruminal fermentation nutrients by sheep. For fermentation, dry matter, neutral detergent fibre (NDF) degradability volatile fatty acids (VFA) were determined standard procedures. The same treatments used trial using Merino sheep 6 x Latin square design. Feed intake total tract recorded. Rumen fluid samples collected daily, preserved, analysed VFA. addition cellulase to increased (P <0.05) NDF gas compared inclusion enzyme. Both significantly reduced end time pH. A 50:50 plus vivo, acetate, VFA concentration, higher ADF test feed control. Inclusion 50-75% 50-25% treatment led butyrate decreased pH improved nutrient digestibility.