Role of fibre in Ruminants

What is Fiber?
• Fiber can be defined as carbohydrates that are not digested by mammalian
enzymes but can potentially be digested by rumen microorganisms.

• Fiber includes cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, and soluble fiber (fructans,

pectans, galactans, and Β-glucans). Fiber in plant material is in the
structural components of cell walls. In the rumen, fiberdigesting bacteria
digest fiber (structural carbohydrates), while starch-digesting bacteria
digest starch (nonstructural carbohydrates).

• In general, the starch digesters tolerate low pH levels, but the fiber
digesters are inhibited by low pH. If the goal is to maximize forage intake
and digestibility, then it may be counterproductive to add grain (corn,
wheat, etc.)

Sources of fiber for ruminants:

Fibre ingredients are wholesome, or in other words, they are natural ingredients
without further processing to concentrate or purify their fiber content. As such,
fiber concentration remains low, as is in general their price, compared to more
sophisticated source 
Wheat bran
• Wheat bran (and/or wheat middlings) is the classic source of fiber for all
species. Even in poultry diets, a small amount of wheat bran is not
considered harmful as it considered beneficial in terms of gut health.

• Nevertheless, wheat bran is used almost exclusively in ruminant diets,

whereas lesser amounts are used in diets for breeding pigs. Its main role in
pig diet is considered that of preventing constipation, as wheat bran is
not perceived as a choice source of functional fibers.

• Depending on the amount of bran and endosperm included in the final

product, nutrient composition can be very variably. In general terms, wheat
bran contains about 5 percent crude protein, 8 percent crude fiber and 32
percent neutral detergent fiber (NDF).

• There is no real limit in using this ingredient apart from its cost and of
course its fiber concentration.

COTTONSEEDS
 • cottonseeds are used exclusively in ruminant diets. They are a very
convenient means to supply "roughage" material for the correct functioning
of the rumen (increase the fiber "mat") while providing an indirect source
of lipids.

• Fuzzy cottonseeds (seeds that have not been treated to remove the linters)
contain about 24 percent crude protein, 37 percent NDF and 24 percent
crude oil. Most nutritionists limit intake of fuzzy cottonseeds up to 3 kg per
dairy cow per day.

• In total mixed ration (TMR) feeding, fuzzy cottonseeds should not exceed 15
percent of dry matter (assuming here a typical dairy cow consuming about
20 kg dry matter daily).

SOY HULLS
• Soy hulls are an excellent source of fiber for all classes of ruminants and for
certain classes of swine. They contain about 10 percent crude protein, 36
percent crude fiber and 59 percent NDF.
• As such they are a richer source of fiber than fuzzy cottonseeds. This makes
them a prime choice ingredient for ruminant diets and limits their
availability for pigs.
• The only negative aspect of feeding soy hulls in ruminants is that they can
lead to bloating as cattle, and young growing animals will consume
enormous quantities of feeds containing soy hulls
Corn Gluten Feed
Although soybean hulls have been most intensively investigated, other
fibrous co-products and co-product combinations will provide highly
digestible fiber and consequently reduce the negative performance and
metabolic effects associated with feeding large quantities of starch.

• corn gluten feed can replace 27% of the dietary dry matter without altering
milk yield, whether fed dry or wet, but these researchers pointed out that
new feed deliveries should be sampled regularly and amounts fed adjusted
to compensate for varying nutrient concentrations

Fibre requirement for ruminants:

• Dietary fibre recommendations differ depending on the base diet. The
rumen environment of grazing cows differs from that of cows fed a total
mixed ration (TMR), or high levels of starch/sugar-based supplements.
• Therefore recommendations for fibre requirements based on TMR or high
supplement diets need to be used with caution in pasture-based systems
(and vice versa).
The common recommendations are:

• for cows grazing high quality pastures, NDF(neutral detergent fiber) should
make up a minimum of 35% of the diet and eNDF 17%. 
• for cows eating diets high in starchy feeds such as cereal grains, NDF should
be at least 27% and eNDF(effective neutral detergent fiber) 20%.
• ADF and NDF are routinely analyzed in commercial labs.
• ADF is a measure of cellulose and lignin . NRC recommendations for milking
cows call for a minimum of 19% ADF in the ration dry matter. Adjustment to
minimum ADF levels may be needed depending on whether the forage is a
grass or legume.
• Rations based on grasses(including corn silage) may have a lower optimal
ADF than legumes because the ADF value for grasses contains a greater
amount of insoluble fibre than the ADF value of legumes.
• Forages with variable amounts of grass and legumes, make predicting the
optimal ration ADF more difficult.
 
• NDF is a measure of the total insoluble fibre and includes cellulose, lignin
and hemicellulose. It is a better indicator of total fibre than ADF and is the
more common measurement of fibre requirements.

• The NRC recommendation for NDF in a diet is 30% with a minimum of 21%
NDF coming from forage sources only. NDF can be adjusted within a range
of 25 to 35% depending on many factors including forage particle size,
frequency of grain feeding, buffers, added fat, variability in dry matter and
NDF content, byproduct feeding and fibre and starch digestibility.

• For example, rations with an optimal NDF of 25% will have many long
particles, moderate ruminal starch digestibility, contain buffers, are fed as a
TMR (total metabolic rate) and contain consistent quality forage.
Neutral Detergent Fibre (NDF) Effective Neutral Detergent Acid Detergent Fibre (ADF)
Fibre (eNDF)
= hemicellulose + cellulose + • This is the NDF that is  = cellulose + lignin
lignin most effective at • This is a measurement of th
• This is a measurement of stimulating rumination fibre that remains after treat
the fibre that remains and saliva production the plant with acidic deterge
after treating the plant (e.g. long chopped
with non-acidic, non roughage) • The higher the ADF the lowe
alkaline detergent the digestability of the fibre
• Feeds can be high in fraction of the plant, and
• This contains both the NDF but low in eNDF generally the lower the
indigestible (lignin) and (e.g. PKE) available energy.
digestible (hemicellulose ADF ⇧ = Digestibility ⇩
+ cellulose) fibre portions
and generally relates to
the bulkiness of the feed.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF FEEDING FIBRE
• Feeding high-quality forage not only helps maximise milk yield, but fibre is
 also a precursor for milk fat. If you notice a drop in milk fat, poor fibre
breakdown could be the culprit.
• An increasing focus on milk components in milk contracts, heightens the
benefits of maximising rumen fibre digestibility.
• While beef diets generally contain a lower level of fibre and NDF compared
to dairy rations, feeding a highly digestible fibre will encourage dry matter
intake, which in turn can improve rumen health, diet efficiency and
subsequently, average daily gain (ADG).
• Fibre is key to rumen function and subsequently cow health, with particle
size and physical chemical structure being two factors that influence this.
• The rumination process – the cow chewing her cud – is when cows
regurgitate feed and break it down further to reduce particle size. Smaller
particles, with a larger surface area, can be utilised by the rumen microbes
more efficiently.
• The aim is to encourage optimum rumination by providing adequate fibre in
the diet. When cattle are ruminating, they break down the fibre and this
process encourages saliva production.
• This helps to maintain rumen pH and reduce the risk of sub clinical ruminal
acidosis (SARA) which can occur when diets are high in rapidly fermentable
carbohydrates.