Investigations of the in situ bag technique and a comparison of the fermentation in heifers, sheep, ponies and rabbits

Fiber fermentation using the in situ bag technique was studied in a hay-fed cow. Entry of fine particles into bags of varying pore size, the effect of sample size, rumen contractions, bag porosity and rumen contraction (bags suspended in vitro or in situ) and obstruction of liquid flow through the bag cloth were investigated (Exp. 1). In Exp. 2 fiber degradation in vitro and in situ with 5- and 37-micron pore size bags was measured utilizing six fistulated heifers (four large: 610 kg and two small: 243 kg), two sheep and two goats (30 kg), three ponies (130 kg) and four rabbits (3.2 kg). Degradation rate (k) and indigestible fiber (B) were determined after curve fitting. Lag of fermentation was also calculated. Results of Exp. 1 showed that plant fiber containing approximately 50% lignin and 2.9% N entered even 20-micron pores, that rumen contractions increased fiber disappearance and that obstructing liquid exchange limited fermentation. Results of Exp. 2 showed lower fiber residues for 37-micron than for 5-micron pore size bags and that in situ method, time and species were highly significant (P less than .0001). All model factors differed significantly among species (P less than .05), but not among the three methods. Lag approached significance for methods (P = .07), but not for species. In situ measurements (37-micron) resulted in the following values for k (h-1), B (%) and lag (h): large heifers .040, 39 and -1; small heifers .025, 39 and 0; sheep-goats .051, 42 and 2; ponies .030, 59 and -5 and rabbits .107, 85 and 3.