Abstract

CRUZ-MONTERROSA, R.G.; RAMIREZ-BRIBIESCA, J.E.; GUERRERO-LEGARRETA, M.I.  and  HERNANDEZ-MENDO, O.. Carotenoids digestion in african stargrass (Cynodon plectostachyus) determined with In Situ techniques in cattle. Trop. subtrop. agroecosyt [online]. 2011, vol.14, n.3, pp.1011-1017. ISSN 1870-0462.

Dry matter (DM) and total carotenoids disappearane in the rumen and intestinal passage of African stargrass (AS) were measured in 4 Holstein steers using rumen In situ and a mobile nylon bag technique in duodenum, respectively. A higher proportion of DM and total carotenoids (P<0.05) in the AS disappeared in the rumen during first 12 h. Correlation value between the disappearance of DM and total carotenoids in the rumen was 0.997 (P < 0.001). 53.0% of the carotenoids disappeared from the duodenal bags in the lower digestive tract when samples were not incubated in the rumen. Carotenoids disappearance in small intestine was lower in the samples incubated in rumen. These results show an availability of 70.0% in carotenoids into the total digestive tract. In conclusion, the AS has a high availability in the degradation of total carotenoids in the digestive tract of ruminants.

Keywords : carotenoids; stargrass; cattle; digestion; disappearance; in situ.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in English     · English ( pdf )