Summary
The in vitro gas production technique permits the study of ruminant response to supplementing
poor quality forages with small amounts of high quality material. This means it can be used as a
practical alternative to expensive and lengthy in vivo experimentation which is not feasible in
developing countries. Current in vitro techniques are able to assess only individual feeds – they
cannot predict animal response accurately. However, this in vitro gas production technique
provides a tool to guide decision-making on efficient ways of using low quality feed resources in
developing counties. The gas production technique is also useful for investigating interactions
between low quality roughages and supplements under realistic conditions. It may provide
predictions of dry matter digestibility and other parameters.
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| Primary Relevance |
Low - High |
| Feeding and Nutrition |
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| Animal Health |
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| Commodities and Markets |
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| Other Husbandry |
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| Policy Relevance |
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