Ruminant Nutrition

Ruminant Nutrition

Ruminants differ from other domestic animals in important aspects of their nutrition like the dependence on cell wall degrading microbial symbionts and the comprehensive comminution of their forage rich diets.

Among the main interests of this working group is the carbohydrate and nitrogen metabolism in the rumen, e.g. in connection with the high-yielding dairy cow. This can be investigated in detail by using in vitro fermentation techniques like the Hohenheim Gas Test (HGT) or the RUSITEC (rumen simulation technique), including kinetics of fermentation. Another important area of interest for the working group is feed particle dynamics in ruminants. Wild ruminants (like giraffe) are included in investigations sometimes.