CONCLUSIONS
Adding 1 mM each of the COF to EFE 2A or 11C
synergistically increased release of WSC of bermudagrass
haylage, as did adding 1 mM Fe2+ to 1A, Mn2+,
Co2+, and Fe2+ to 13D, or Co2+or Fe2
to 15D. The
greatest release of WSC was obtained by adding Mn2+
to 11C (38%) or by adding Fe2+ to 2A or 13D (10 and
21.9%, respectively). Effects of adding increasing doses
of these COF on EFE-mediated changes in vitro digestibility
depended on the COF and EFE. Adding 10 mM
Mn2+ to EFE 11C resulted in a 8.1% increase in NDFD
beyond the 15.5% increase caused by adding EFE 11C
alone and a 17.2% increase beyond the 6.3% increase
caused by adding 10 mM Mn2+ alone. Whereas adding
Fe2+ to 2A had no effects on EFE-mediated digestibility
responses but 2A prevented adverse effects of adding
Fe2+ alone on DMD and NDFD. In contrast, adding
Fe2+ to 13D reduced the increases in NDFD caused by
adding the EFE alone. This study shows that adding
COF to EFE can synergistically increase, decrease, or
not affect the hydrolytic effects of EFE on forage cell
walls depending on the specific EFE-COF combination.
More work is required to understand the mechanisms
resulting in these outcomes to exploit beneficial effects
of COF on EFE.