RUMINAL BUTYRATE INFUSION INCREASED PAPILLAE SIZE AND DIGESTA WEIGHT BUT DID NOT CHANGE LIQUID FLOW RATE IN THE RUMEN OF GOATS

This study investigated the effects of ruminal infusion of butyrate on digesta weight and liquid flow in rumen. Goats (n=15) fed concentrates 200 g/day and hay ad libitum, were assigned into two groups: control (C, n=7) and butyrate (B, n=8) and were intraruminally infused with 0.3 (B group) or 0 (C group) g/kg.BW/day sodium butyrate, dissolved in potassium buffer (50 ml), before morning feeding for 4 weeks. Liquid flow in the rumen was determined by pulse dosing of cobalt-ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (Co-EDTA) into the rumen. The papillae height and the thickness of epithelium increased (P < 0.05) in B compared to C. The full weight of rumen and the weight of rumen digesta, expressed as percent of total stomach weight, were greater in B than in C (P = 0.04 and 0.06, respectively), but the full weight of omasum and the weight of omasal digesta were lower in B than in C (P = 0.05 and 0.07, respectively). Ruminal volume, liquid turn over and liquid outflow rate did not differ (P > 0.05) between groups. It was concluded that ruminal infusion of butyrate increased papillae size and digesta weight but did not change liquid passage rate in the rumen of goats.