<i>In vitro</i> gas production of wheat grain flour coated with different fat types and levels

Abstract

Gas production (GP) is a rapid method for feedstuffs assessment. A study was done to investigate wheat grain coated with hydrogenated tallow (HT) and hydrogenated palm oil (HP) of different fatty acids types and levels to study total gas production. Approximately, 200 mg (DM basis) of sample was weighed and inserted in glass syringes, mixed with the inoculum and artificial saliva, then incubated at 39°C in a ventilated oven. The outcome of this study showed that experimental fat reduced in vitro degradability using the gas test technique. The addition of experimental fat (HT or HP) to wheat grains significantly decreased GP during incubation (P < 0.01). In comparison to HP fat, coating wheat grains with HT fat resulted in significantly reduced GP (P < 0.01). Accordingly, it seems that experimental fats could be used as a coating substance to reduce the speed of cereal grains (like barley and wheat grains) fermentation in the rumen. Consequently, it could prevent dairy cows from metabolic diseases like acidosis. Moreover, this processing could alter the amount of starch reaching the small intestine to produce more glucose for high producing animals like dairy cows.

Key words: Wheat grain, fat coating method, gas production, hydrogenated tallow, hydrogenated palm oil.