Use of faeces as an alternative inoculum to caecal content to study in vitro feed digestibility in domesticated ostriches (Struthio camelus var. domesticus)

Abstract

1. In order to find an alternative source of inoculum to caecal content for studying the in vitro feed digestibility in domesticated ostriches (Struthio camelus var. domesticus), caecal content and faeces of 4 male birds were used as inocula for an in vitro gas production trial.

2. About 1 g of each of 5 substrates (maize silage, CS; alfalfa hay, AH; barley, BG; soybean meal, SM; beet pulp, BP) was weighed, in quadruplicate per inoculum, in 120 ml flasks; 75 ml of anaerobic medium and 4 ml of reducing solution were added and flasks were kept at 39°C. Caecal content and faeces were diluted respectively 1 : 2 (CI) and 1 : 4 (FI) with an anaerobic medium and were injected into the respective flasks (10 ml).

3. Gas production was recorded 22 times up to 120 h of incubation and fermentation characteristics (for instance, degraded organic matter, OMd; potential gas production, A; maximum fermentation rate, R _max; time at which it is reached, T _max; pH; volatile fatty acid, VFA; ammonia) were studied for each inoculum and substrate.

4. CI and FI showed significant differences in T _max (16·37 vs 18·47 h, respectively), propionic (16·47 vs 12·07 mmoles/l) and butyric acid (6·50 vs 7·98 mmoles/l) and ammonia concentration (17·18 vs 19·95 mmoles/l). The substrates, according to their chemical composition, showed different fermentation characteristics. However, the regression equations able to estimate some fermentation characteristics of the caecum from those of faeces were statistically significant and showed R ²-values ranging from 0·87 to 0·99.

5. The differences in fermentation pathways of the two inocula did not appear to influence the rate and extent of OM digestion. Faecal fermentation predicted rates and extent of OM digestion by caecal fermentation in ostriches; consequently, the faeces could be considered as an alternative to caecal content to study feed digestibility in the species, although there is a need to undertake further research.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Ms Maria Ferrara for her technical collaboration.