3.3. Rumen function and microbes
Rumen pH, temperature and VFA concentrations were not influenced by dietary N sources (Table 3). However, ruminal NH3 N and plasma urea N concentrations were lower with the UCM and SBM diets than on the urea diet. Ruminal NH3 N (at 2 and 4 h post feeding) and plasma urea N (at 4 h post feeding) were highest when urea was supplemented (Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, respectively). The U-Cas diet increased ruminal bacteria counts and cellulolytic bacteria counts (Table 4) compared with all other groups (P