In Vitro Evaluation of Formaldehyde Treated Barley Grain

A two stage in-vitro experiment was conducted to study the effect of graded levels of formaldehyde treatment (0.00, 0.50,1.00,1.50,2.00 and 3.00% w/w) of ground barley on rumen fermentation. Increasing levels of formaldehyde treatment reduced the concentration of TVFA, ammonia-N, total-N, bacterial and protozoal counts and digestion of DM and starch with an increase in pH of Incubation medium. The disappearance of DM and starch was reduced at 1 percent level of formaldehyde without affecting their total digestion. The enzymatic digestion off DM and starch were also maximum and the reduction in ruminal digestion was compensated by post-ruminal digestion at 1% level.

In another in-vitro experiment, graded levels of untreated and treated barley (with 1% formaldehyde, w/w) were mixed In concentrate mixture in proportion of 200:0; 75:25; 50:50; 25:75 and 0:100 to determine its optimum proportion. Five concentrate mixtures consisting barley 45%, were mixed with wheat straw in 60:40 ratio and used as substrate.

The pH of incubation medium and concentration of total VFA were affected by inclusion of treated barley at more than 50% level while the concentration of ammonia-N, total-N and microbial counts remained unaffected at all levels. The disappearance of DM and starch in ruminanl digestion was reduced by inclusion of formaldehyde treated barley and at 100% inclusion of treated barley these parameters were significantly lower as compared to untreated barley.