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Meta-analysis of 0 to 8 h post-prandial evolution of ruminal pH

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 October 2008

C. Dragomir
Affiliation:
Unité de Recherches sur les Herbivores, INRA, 63122, St-Genès Champanelle, France National R-D Institute for Animal Biology and Nutrition, Calea Bucuresti 1, Balotesti, Ilfov 077015, Romania
D. Sauvant*
Affiliation:
UMR INRA INA P-G, Physiologie de la Nutrition et Alimentation, 16 rue Claude Bernard, 75231 Paris Cedex 05, France
J.-L. Peyraud
Affiliation:
UMR INRA/ENSAR Production du Lait, 35590 St Gilles, France
S. Giger-Reverdin
Affiliation:
UMR INRA INA P-G, Physiologie de la Nutrition et Alimentation, 16 rue Claude Bernard, 75231 Paris Cedex 05, France
B. Michalet-Doreau
Affiliation:
Unité de Recherches sur les Herbivores, INRA, 63122, St-Genès Champanelle, France
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Abstract

The objective of this study was to identify relevant descriptors of ruminal pH post-prandial evolution that can replace the mean pH (considered unsatisfactory). These descriptors are to be used in the attempts to predict ruminal pH from dietary characteristics, in order to quantify the potential of a diet to induce subacute ruminal acidosis from its intrinsic characteristics. A total of 219 pH curves, reported as graphics in 48 published articles describing the post-prandial evolution of ruminal pH (first 8 h), were digitized by image analysis then summarized in 15 pH variables. Relationships among pH variables and the principal components (PCs) of pH variability were analyzed in order to identify possible alternatives to mean pH, as the average value of all pH data the curve is composed of. Two groups of pH variables were identified according to their relationship with the most important principal components. A first group, including mean pH, was closely related to PC1, which accounted for 78% of data variability; hence, correlations between variables of this group were generally high. Of these, threshold-related variables were distinct as their within-study correlations with mean pH were rather moderate (0.69 on average). This suggests they might carry supplementary information that could explain the variation in ruminal pH induced by within-study factors, e.g. diet characteristics. However, caution should be taken in their use because of their truncation at 0 h and their non-normal distribution. Variables from the second group were independent of the PC1, and thus of the first group of variables, whereas they were mostly related to PC2 and PC3. This implies they are complementary to mean pH. Of this second group, the rate of pH decreases or the time period when pH reaches its minimum might be useful to better describe the ruminal status, from the point of view of the risk of subacute ruminal acidosis.

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Full Paper
Copyright
Copyright © The Animal Consortium 2008

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