DIGESTION AND RUMEN METABOLISM OF RED-CLOVER AND PERENNIAL RYEGRASS WHITE CLOVER FORAGES BY RED DEER

Red clover (RC) and perennial ryegrass (PRG)-based forages were cut fr esh during late spring/early summer and fed at similar levels of dry m atter (DM) intake to rumen fistulated castrated red deer kept indoors in metabolism pens. RC contained higher concentrations of total N and non-protein cell contents than PRG and lower concentrations of fibre. Rumen pool size and fractional outflow rates of liquid (13.3 v. 15.1 % /h) and of particulate matter (2.5 v. 3.9%/h) were lower for deer fed RC than PRG. Apparent digestibility of energy and fibre, rumen fibre f ractional degradation rate and rumen fractional disappearance rate of non-protein cell contents were all higher for RC than for PRG deer. Ni trogen retention was similar for deer fed both forages. However, the c oncentration, pool size and outflow of ammonia from the rumen, togethe r with urinary N excretion, were all much greater for deer fed RC than those fed PRG. The acetate: propionate ratio in rumen volatile fatty acids (VFA) was lower for the RC than the PRG group. It was concluded that the greater fibre digestion in deer fed RC was due to a faster ru men fractional degradation rate and a longer particulate mean retentio n time in the rumen, and that the very rapid outflow of water from the rumen relative to particulate matter in deer fed RC (5.5: 1 v. 3.8: 1 ) may explain why deer are not susceptible to rumen frothy bloat when grazing RC. One reason for the greater voluntary feed intake (VFI) of deer grazing RC than those grazing PRG may be due to its greater conce ntration of protein and non-protein cell contents and their more rapid degradation and removal from the rumen.