Table 4 The pH and concentration of NH₃-N and VFA after in vitro ruminal fermentation

 3 h

6.58^a

6.56^ab

6.55^b

6.55^b

0.004

0.01

<0.01

0.08

 6 h

6.56^a

6.54^ab

6.54^bc

6.52^c

0.003

<0.01

<0.01

0.35

 12 h

6.51^a

6.48^b

6.45^c

6.43^d

0.003

<0.01

<0.01

0.63

 24 h

6.44

6.43

6.41

6.41

0.006

0.02

<0.01

0.81

 48 h

6.39^a

6.38^ab

6.36^b

6.27^b

0.005

0.02

<0.01

0.09

 72 h

6.40

6.40

6.40

6.40

0.005

0.75

0.89

0.75

 3 h

10.97

10.02

9.41

8.80

0.662

0.20

0.04

0.81

 6 h

12.95^a

12.76^ab

12.24^ab

11.80^b

0.243

0.04

<0.01

0.63

 12 h

12.95

12.18

11.27

11.36

0.713

0.36

0.11

0.56

 24 h

15.22

15.32

16.15

15.49

0.504

0.59

0.49

0.48

 48 h

20.69^b

22.54^a

22.28^a

23.77^a

0.624

0.05

0.01

0.78

 72 h

27.12^b

26.68^b

29.53^a

30.40^a

0.352

<0.01

<0.01

0.10

 3 h

19.73

20.24

20.57

21.16

0.491

0.29

0.07

0.94

 6 h

23.32^b

24.58^ab

28.20^a

27.85^a

0.872

<0.01

<0.01

0.38

 12 h

31.54^c

34.39^bc

36.90^ab

38.11^a

0.668

<0.01

<0.01

0.25

 24 h

40.11

46.47

46.97

43.57

1.751

0.08

0.20

0.02

 48 h

51.08

53.99

53.61

51.93

2.255

0.77

0.83

0.34

 72 h

53.14^b

55.06^b

58.42^a

60.17^a

0.570

<0.01

<0.01

0.89

 3 h

4.07^a

3.97^b

3.87^c

3.83^c

0.017

<0.01

<0.01

0.16

 6 h

4.07^a

4.06^a

3.95^b

3.96^b

0.014

<0.01

<0.01

0.46

 12 h

4.15^a

4.13^a

3.95^b

3.94^b

0.013

<0.01

<0.01

0.60

 24 h

3.77^c

3.83^bc

3.88^ab

3.96^a

0.019

<0.01

<0.01

0.58

 48 h

3.64^c

3.72^bc

3.79^ab

3.85^a

0.023

<0.01

<0.01

0.52

 72 h

3.60^c

3.67^b

3.73^a

3.77^a

0.010

<0.01

<0.01

0.15