RESUMO
Studies on Ruminal Physiology were made with 15 growing female Merino sheep to investigate the influence of different types of rations on the fermentation of volatile fatty acids. The rations were constructed of green feed, straw and concentrates (type 1) or chemically treated straw pellets + concentrates (type 2). One ration (type 3) consisted of concentrates only. With regard to the total concentration of acids ration 3 was significantly superior to the 2 other types of rations. Moreover, ration 3 produced a specific fermentation pattern of the volatile fatty acids. This was characterized by a significant reduction in the molar proportion of acetate compared with ration 1 and 2 and a significant increase in the level of propionic and valeric acid relative to ration 1. Differences in the fermentation pattern between rations 1 and 2 were mainly limited to differences in the absolute and molar proportions of propionate where the straw pellet rations in each case produced the significant higher values. The acetate to propionate ratio was narrowed in the order of ration 1-3 (4.1 :1, 3.1:1, 2.6-2.9 :1). Statistically wellestablished negative correlations were found to exist between the concentrations of volatile fatty acids and the pH values which were established simultaneously.
