Symposium review: Physical characterization of feeds and development of the physically effective fiber system

Historical research had shown that forage particle size influences chewing activity, ruminal pH, volatile fatty acid profiles, and milk fat percentage. With this in mind, Mertens in 1997 published one of the most frequently cited papers in the Journal of Dairy Science that laid out a comprehensive system for integrating neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and particle size of feeds into one measure: physically effective NDF (peNDF). Based on total chewing time (i.e., eating plus ruminating), peNDF enabled ration formulation to meet the minimum fiber requirements of ruminants to maintain ruminal pH and milk fat. Total chewing time is related to feed NDF content and particle size, so Mertens proposed that peNDF could be determined simply from a chemical measure of NDF and particle size measured as the fraction of dry matter retained on a 1.18-mm sieve with vertical shaking of a dried sample. In the past 2 decades, the peNDF system has been incorporated into nutrition models and is routinely used in ration formulation. Early on, Mertens recognized that starch would affect the minimum peNDF requirements, and his work was the first to demonstrate that starch and fermentation pH affect ruminal fiber degradation kinetics. Subsequently, Mertens's insight into particle size analysis was extended from fibrous feeds to corn silage processing with the development of the commonly used corn silage fragmentation index for assessing starch availability. Participants at the 33rd Discover Conference on fiber in 2017 ranked improved physical description of feeds as a top priority for future research, undoubtedly recognizing the need to carry forward Mertens's pioneering work. Future research will likely focus on improving the physicochemical and biological evaluation of rumen fiber degradation and passage, thereby improving the prediction of animal response. The comprehensive system that David Mertens built for meeting the fiber requirements of ruminants has transformed ration formulation.