The in vitro fermentation of the following food sources were evaluated: corn meal (CM), soybean meal (SM), wheat meaddlings (WM), sorghum (SO), corn gluten feed (CG) and urea (UR), incubated alone or with monensin, pure for analysis or comercial (Rumensin®). The experiment constituted of 18 experimental units (three energetic or proteic food sources × three antibiotic (control, monensin or rumensin) × two duplicates), and the following fermentation parameters were analyzed: pH, ammonia production, microbial protein, soluble protein and protein degradability. The incubations were developed in 96 hours and samples were collected at 0, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours of fermentation. The pH was measured in glass electrode and ammonia, microbial protein and soluble protein by colorimetry. The was no pH variation along the incubations (initial = 6.94 and final = 7.03). There was no difference between the two ionophore sources, but there was interactions between antibiotic and food sources. The greater ammonia production in the proteic sources was observed with UR, followed by SM and CG, being reduced by the ionophores. The soluble protein was similar for proteic food sources and increased by the ionophores, except for UR. The microbial protein decreased for UR and SM, but increased for CG, with no ionophore effect. In the energetic sources the ionophores only decreased microbial protein of SO. Greater ammonia production in the energetic sources was observed with WM, followed by CM and SO. The soluble protein and microbial protein were similar for all three food sources. Ammonia concentration in all incubations correlated with the final pH and %CP of the food sources.
ammonia; fermentation; food sources; ionophores; protein; rumen
