Four rumen fistulated lactating dairy cows were assigned to a Latin Square (4x4), with 21 days of experimental period, being the last three days for evaluation, to evaluate the effects of the combination of soybean oil and monensin in lactating dairy cow diets on dry matter intake, total and partial digestibility of the nutrients and ruminal fermentation and microbial synthesis. The animals were assigned to a factorial arrangement (2x2): presence (4% in total DM) or absence of soybean oil and presence (33 ppm) or monensin absence and were fed diets with 55% corn silage and 45% concentrate. For evaluation of the total and partial digestibility, feces samples and omasal digesta were collected, using ADFi and Cr2O3 as markers. The oil presence reduced dry matter intake, but allowed similar TND intake. The total digestibility of nutrients was not affected by treatments. The NDF ruminal digestibility was similar in the oil presence and in the monensin presence, but it was reduced in the combination of the two. The pH, the efficiency of microbial synthesis and the total of VFA of the rumen liquor were similar among the treatments. Interaction was observed between oil and monensin for N-NH3 concentration, being verified smaller value for the diets with oil only. The proportion of acetate was reduced either in the oil presence or in the monensin presence, but in different magnitudes, as well as in the combination of the two. The propionic acid concentration increased with monensin and with oil, and butyric acid decreased with oil. Acetate:propionate ratio was reduced either in the oil presence or in the monensin presence. The synthesis of microbial protein was reduced in the oil presence and still more when oil was associated to monensin. The soybean oil and monensin combination act about the same microbial population and the sensibility to the action of the monensin it is increased in the oil presence. The limitation intake by fill rumen effect, by reduction of NDF digestibility, or by higher energy content, does not justify alone the reduction in dry matter intake in diets with soybean oil, indicating that metabolic factor can be involved.
ionophores; lipids; microbial synthesis; ruminal fermentation
