Effect of monensin on fermentation of hay and wheat bran investigated by the Rumen Simulation Technique (Rusitec). 2. End-products of fermentation and protein synthesis.

An experiment was performed with Rumen Simulation Technique (Rusitec) in which the fermentation of mixed ration of hay (12.8 g/d) and wheat bran (3.2 g/d) was compared with the fermentation of the same diet supplemented with 2.5 and 10 mg monensin. The duration of the experiment was 12 days. During the first six days the fermentation conditions in Rusitec were stabilised. The end products of fermentation and indices of protein synthesis were determined. The energy efficiency of volatile fatty acids (VFA), proportion of fermented hexose energy on VFA energy and on energy of bacterial matter were increased in the presence of monensin. The proportion of fermented hexose energy in methane energy was decreased. Utilization of glucose and production of adenosine triphosphate were not affected. The balance of metabolic H2 was reduced and this was manifested in decreasing production, utilization and recovery of metabolic H2. Microbial efficiency expressed per mol ATP (g/mol) was increased by monensin from 7.8 to 12.6. The indices of protein synthesis--protein conversion ratio, degradability of protein and microbial protein synthesis efficiency were increased and non protein utilization ratio decreased in the presence of monensin.