Effect of Crude Glycerin Concentration on Forage Digestion Parameters in Beef Calves

Seven ruminally and duodenally cannulated steers were used to evaluate effects of increasing concentrations of crude glycerin on digestion in high forage diets. As glycerin inclusion increased, DM, OM, and NDF intake decreased. Neither DM nor OM digestibility were affected by glycerin inclusion. While dietary NDF digestibility decreased as glycerin increased, glycerin inclusion had no effect on rate or extent of in situ NDF digestibility estimates. As glycerin inclusion increased, propionate and butyrate VFA proportions increased while acetate decreased. Decreases in acetate to propionate ratio with increasing concentrations of crude glycerin may improve F:G in forage- based diets