Free ferulic acid uptake in ram lambs

Area of Science:

• Animal Nutrition and Metabolism
• Ruminant Physiology
• Dietary Fiber Digestion

Background:

• Ferulic acid (FA) is a phenolic compound typically bound to plant cell walls, limiting its availability in ruminant diets.
• Feed pretreatment methods may release FA, potentially increasing its absorption and utilization by ruminants.
• Understanding the fate of free FA is crucial for optimizing ruminant nutrition and feed processing strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the absorption, distribution, and excretion pathways of free ferulic acid (FA) in sheep.
• To determine the impact of free FA supplementation on feed intake, body weight, and rumen microbial NDF digestion.
• To assess the potential for free FA to be absorbed and metabolized or excreted via urine or feces.

Main Methods:

• Eight lambs were assigned to four treatment groups receiving 0, 3, 6, or 9 g/d of free FA orally for five days.
• Diets consisted of ad libitum alfalfa hay and a fixed amount of corn grain.
• Samples of hay, grain, blood, feces, and urine were collected to quantify FA concentrations. In vitro analysis assessed NDF digestion inhibition.

Main Results:

• Free FA supplementation quadratically affected hay intake but did not alter lamb body weight.
• Fecal FA concentrations did not differ among treatments, indicating minimal fecal excretion of supplemented FA.
• Urinary FA increased with increasing FA dosage, confirming absorption and renal excretion. Plasma FA was not detected, suggesting rapid clearance.

Conclusions:

• Free ferulic acid (FA) is absorbed in lambs and primarily excreted via urine, with minimal presence in feces.
• Supplementation with free FA did not inhibit in vitro microbial NDF digestion, suggesting no negative impact on rumen function.
• These findings support the potential for absorbed free FA to be utilized or excreted without compromising rumen fermentation.