Five multiparous lactating Holsteins cows, cannulated in the rumen and proximal duodenum, were used in a 5 x 5 latin square. Cows were fed a 40:60 forage: concentrate diet (40% fresh sugar cane and 60% concentrate). Diets were formulated to have 30% of starch and treatments were starch sources and ration processing forms: cracked corn, finely ground corn, flaked corn at 310g/l, flaked corn at 360g/l, or cassava scrapings. No difference (P>0.05) was observed among treatments for dry matter intake. Starch ruminal digestibility was higher for cassava scrapings treatment. NDF and ADF digestibility were similar among treatments. Average values of ruminal pH were above 6, except at 2 and 4h after feeding the cassava diet. There was no effect of treatment on concentrations of total volatile fatty acids. The flocculation process increased corn starch digestibility. Ruminal degradability of the cassava scrapings starch was higher than corn, without effect of processing form.
cow; volatile fatty acid; in situ degradability; flaked corn; grain processing; cassava scrapings
