Effect of Added Isovaleric Acid And Urea on Ruminal Fermentation in Sheep Fed High Fibre Diet

Five rams were maintained on five complete diets varying in source of energy, protein and isovaleric acid for 10 weeks. The treatments followed were T₁-Control, T₂- Control diet with i-C₅, T₃- Diet containing jaggery with i-C₅, T₄- Diet containing urea with i-C and T₅- Diet containing urea and jaggery with i-C₅. Rumen fluid, collected at the end of each treatment period, showed that rumen pH was not affected by the treatment diets. Total volatile fatty acids (TVFA) concentration increased with isoacid treatment. Urea diets resulted in significantly increased (P<0.01) NH₃-N, TVFA and total bacterial count. It was concluded that isovaleric acid with urea based diets can favourably improve rumen fermentation pattern.