If the substrate is mainly roughage as you say, there will be more cellulolytic bacteria that will be breaking down the cellulose and very few amylolytic bacteria. Therefore, there will be acetate produced relativeto propionate. Propionate is mainly produced when substrate is largely starch(disaccharide) or any monosaccharide such as glucose. Because roughage is slowly broken down in the rumen, it will take longer in the rumen, hence slow rate of passage and this accumulates acetate. So, in your case the Acetate:propionate will be high.
in this case we shouldnt confuse slow rate of passage of roughages with cases of indigestible fibe...roughages are vital for the rumen health, they are a point of attachment for ruminal bacteria and protozoa so that these organisms are not washed out with the liquid particulate
Dear Yerradoddi,
In line with Mr. Zibani's answer, I would like to tell you that although many factors can play an important role, in general terms, as the time of retention is reduced (fast passage) the lower the production of VFA is. In this sense, as roughage increase the retention time, more acetic will be produced, since it is produced in important amounts by the cellulolytic/fibrinolytic flora.
Regards,
Dr. Alfredo J. Escribano.
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