The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of in situ incubation time and particles size on the estimates of indigestible fractions of dry matter (iDM), neutral detergent fiber (iNDF), and acid detergent fiber (iADF) in cattle feeds and feces. Samples of corn grain, wheat bran, corn silage, elephant grass, sugarcane, signal grass hay, corn straw, and feces obtained from cattle fed high and low concentrate diets were used. The samples were ground through 1 mm, 2 mm, and 3 mm screen sieve and put in 4 × 5 cm non-woven textile bags (20 mg DM/cm² of surface). The samples were divided in three groups, being each group incubated in the rumen of a crossbred heifer. The incubation procedure was conducted three times with the change of groups among animals. The following incubation times were used: 0, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96, 120, 144, 168, 192, 216, 240, and 312 hours. The contents of iDM, iNDF, and iADF were evaluated sequentially in each bag. The degradation profiles were interpreted by a non-linear logistic model. The particles size did not influence the estimates of iNDF and iADF. However, the particles size altered the rumen degradation dynamic rates of DM for corn silage and corn grain; of NDF for sugarcane, corn silage, and corn straw; and ADF for sugarcane. For those samples, the particle size has been positively associated with the incubation time necessary to estimate the indigestible fraction. Incubation times of 240 hours for DM and NDF, and 264 hours for ADF were suggested for obtaining more accurate estimates of indigestible fractions. The use of 2 mm particle size can increase the precision of estimates.
indigestible acid detergent fiber; indigestible dry matter; indigestible neutral detergent fiber
