Effect of dietary NDF levels on nutrient digestion in hindgut of sheep

Four 4-month-old wethers fitted with ileal canulas were fed iso-caloric and iso-nitrogenous diets containing different NDF levels (30.0 to 45.0%) in a 4 x 4 Latin square design to evaluate the effects of dietary NDF levels on nutrient digestion in hindgut of sheep. The percent of hindgut digestion of DM, OM, CP, NDF, ADF, hemicellulose and cellulose in total tract digestion was 28.0 to 31.8%, 19.3 to 21.9%, 14.1 to 16.2%, 22.3 to 25.1%, 22.0 to 25.2%, 22.7 to 25.1% and 18.1 to 21.5%, respectively. Lower (30%) or higher (45%) NDF content in diet of sheep depressed fibrous fraction digestion anterior to hindgut, and hindgut complementally increased digestion of fibrous fractions.