Table 3. Characteristics of rumen contents of cows sampled over the course of a year.
| Date | Cow | Sample code | Succinic acida | Lactic acida | Formic acida | Acetic acida | Propionic acida | Butyric acida | Total VFAb | A/P ratioc | Rumen pH | Description of rumen contents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May | A | MA | 0.5 | b.d.d | b.d. | 61.6 | 14.0 | 5.2 | 80.8 | 4.4 | 6.68 | Normale |
| May | B | MB | 0.4 | 0.2 | b.d. | 64.7 | 12.7 | 2.3 | 79.6 | 5.1 | 6.54 | Normale |
| May | C | MC | 0.4 | 0.2 | b.d. | 70.1 | 17.5 | 6.0 | 93.6 | 4.0 | 6.76 | Normale |
| May | D | MD | 0.4 | 0.3 | b.d. | 42.7 | 10.4 | 5.2 | 58.2 | 4.1 | 6.85 | Normale |
| Aug | B | AB | 0.9 | 0.3 | b.d. | 92.6 | 23.2 | 12.8 | 128.6 | 4.0 | 6.09 | Normal |
| Aug | C | AC | 0.6 | 0.6 | b.d. | 92.6 | 24.0 | 13.5 | 130.1 | 3.9 | 5.88 | Normal |
| Aug | D | AD | 0.8 | 0.4 | b.d. | 97.9 | 24.3 | 13.5 | 135.8 | 4.0 | 6.12 | Normal |
| Aug | E | AE | 0.6 | 0.3 | b.d. | 79.7 | 19.5 | 11.8 | 111.0 | 4.1 | 6.30 | Slimy |
| Nov | B | NB | 0.2 | 0.2 | b.d. | 73.5 | 17.1 | 13.1 | 103.7 | 4.3 | 6.37 | Normal |
| Nov | C | NC | 0.2 | 11.2 | 6.1 | 64.5 | 14.8 | 13.0 | 92.3 | 4.4 | 6.11 | Normal |
| Nov | D | ND | 0.2 | 0.2 | b.d. | 73.3 | 14.9 | 13.3 | 101.5 | 4.9 | 6.33 | Normal |
| Nov | E | NE | b.d. | 0.3 | b.d. | 57.0 | 10.9 | 10.2 | 78.2 | 5.2 | 6.65 | Normal |
| Feb | B | FB | 0.2 | b.d. | b.d. | 99.4 | 23.6 | 17.0 | 140.1 | 4.2 | 6.03 | Full rumen |
| Feb | C | FC | 0.2 | b.d. | b.d. | 93.8 | 23.0 | 16.1 | 132.9 | 4.1 | 6.02 | Normal |
| Feb | D | FD | b.d. | b.d. | b.d. | 69.0 | 14.7 | 9.7 | 93.4 | 4.7 | 6.82 | Very full rumen |
| Feb | Ef | FE | b.d. | b.d. | b.d. | 59.7 | 14.9 | 7.1 | 81.7 | 4.0 | 6.70 | Half full rumen |
| May +1yr | B | LB | b.d. | b.d. | b.d. | 63.7 | 15.3 | 6.7 | 85.7 | 4.1 | 6.66 | Normale |
| May +1yr | C | LC | 0.2 | b.d. | b.d. | 71.0 | 17.3 | 9.0 | 97.3 | 4.1 | 6.52 | Normale |
| May +1yr | D | LD | b.d. | b.d. | b.d. | 54.4 | 12.3 | 6.2 | 72.9 | 4.4 | 6.78 | Normale |
| May +1yr | E | LE | 0.4 | 0.3 | b.d. | 60.7 | 14.5 | 7.1 | 82.4 | 4.2 | 6.66 | Normale |
Rumen contents were taken after morning milking and before new pasture was offered.
a Fermentation end product in mM.
bTotal VFA is the sum of acetic, propionic and butyric acids.
cThe A/P is the ratio of acetic acid to propionic acid.
db.d., below detection limit.
eRumen was half full but this is the normal level for the cows dry period.
fCow lame.