Due to the scarcity of water and lack of pastures in our country, so we used to feed the sheep an imported pelleted feed components (fine milled grains with some ground forage and non-forage fiber sources ). After a certain period of such feeding regime, we found out that the rumen of these animals has been morphologically modified in a strange manner (the rumen wall became very thin, the rumen papillae became very long and the coating layer of epithelial tissue became black in color. Although, the performance and health of the animals are not impaired.
What are the reason of these modifications and how could we ameliorate such changes? Although, rumen pH is not that bad (over 5.5 most of the time).
But we notice that rumination is disappeared.
The rumen needs "bulk fill" for muscular stimulation. Chemical stimulation (VFA production and absorption through the rumen wall) stimulate papillae growth. In United States high fibrous feedstuffs (lower quality hay/wheat straw) can be used in rations as they are only needed for scratch (mechanical stimulation). Citations for these statements are readily available.
You lack long fibers that stimulates all the mechanisms of rumination and ruminal motility (especially primary cycles that mix the rumen content over time) by stimulating epithelial and mechanical receptors in the rumen wall.
Moreover, if the fiber are very short, the time spent in the rumen will be too short and the efficiency of the cellulose digestion will be reduced.
Thank you Dr. Beck and Dr. Ferran for your informative answers.
Would you please explain more on these modifications that happened in the rumen?
In another word, the mechanism of action that leads to these rumen modifications (thin rumen wall, very long papillae and very dark epithelial color almost black)?
We are looking forward to search out any possible solutions for these changes in the rumen (particularly, the balck color of the epithelial) under the same feeding regime, since we have no chance to provide physically effective NDF in our area as explained above.
See:
Sheep gastrointestinal development in response to different dietary treatments. 2000. Baldwin, R. L.
You can then follow his citations for further investigation.
I concur with the answers of Drs. Beck and Ferran; with no forage for fermentation and VFA production by the bacteria, the function of the rumen is becoming almost useless.
The animals will still be healthy, but it is costing you more because they are supplemented with what they could be getting for free, from the volatile fatty acids.
Check this link maybe helpful
https://www.researchgate.net/topic/Rumen
regards
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