Silage and concentrates were sampled every day and pooled on a weekly basis. Total
collections of faeces were conducted manually for 24 h per day for 5 consecutive days.
Faeces were collected in rubber tubs, weighed for each 24 h period and mixed with 10%
water prior to being homogenised. Representative samples were taken and frozen on a
daily basis. Subsequently, samples were thawed and combined on a weekly basis, and then
lyophilised in a Heto cd8 freeze-drier, with an acrylic chamber (Heto Lab Equipment A/S,
Denmark) at a condenser temperature of −50 ◦C for 5 days or until dry.