An in vitro rumen fermentation was performed, where two sources of slowly fermentable fibre (milk thistle, MT; pure cellulose, CE) and three of rapidly fermentable fibre (tomato peels without seeds, TP; citrus pulp, CI; pectin, PE) were incubated alone or as 75:25 or 25:75 mixtures (MT:TP, MT:CI, MT:PE, CE:TP, CE:CI, CE: PE ), to detect associative effects among substrates. Substrates or mixtures (0.5 g) were incubated with 75 ml of buffered rumen fluid into individual bottles at 39°C for 96 h. Differences among measured and expected GP were analysed by ANOVA. In mixtures containing MT, positive associative effects were detected within first 24 h. Only the combination of 75% MT and 25% TP showed negative interactions. In the mixtures of MT:CI and MT:PE positive associative effects were detected respectively at 24 and 12 h (P

gas production; fermentable fibre; associative effects; rumen fermentation

Published by University of Zagreb, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagreb, CROATIA
Sponsored by Ministry Science and Education of the Republic of Croatia