HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Fenner, H. Articles by Elliot, J. M. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Fenner, H. Articles by Elliot, J. M.

Quantitative Method for Determining the Steam Volatile Fatty Acids in Rumen Fluid by Gas Chromatography

University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Abstract

A highly repeatable quantitative method for determining volatile fatty acids in rumen fluid based upon more than 1000 individual rumen samples analyzed over a period of three years is described. Steam distillation is used to isolate the total volatile acids from the rumen sample and the concentration is determined by titration. By means of water-ether partition, the usual ratio of the various fatty acids as found in rumen juice is changed quantitatively to a ratio better suited for measurement by gas chromatography. Anhydrous ethyl ether is used as the solvent and the ratio of each of the six volatile fatty acids (acetic, propionic, iso-butyric, n-butyric, iso-valeric and n-valeric acids) is determined by a vapor fractometer. The amount of each acid in the sample of rumen fluid can then be calculated by combining the acid ratios and total acid concentration.

¹ Department of Dairy and Animal Science.

² Present address: Animal Husbandry Department, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.