Effects of Particle Size Difference in Two Different Sweet Bran Products on Total Tract Digestibility and Rumen pH

Summary with Implications Seven ruminally fistulated heifers were utilized in a 6 x 7 row-column design to evaluate two different Sweet Bran particle size products (1.8 or 2.5 mm) included at 13%, 18%, or 23% of the diet (DM) on total tract digestibility and rumen fermentation parameters. The treatment design was a 2 x 3 factorial. Rumen pH was reduced and organic matter digestibility tended to be reduced with the small particle size when Sweet Bran was included at 13% of the diet. Both NDF digestibility and dietary digestible energy concentration tended to improve with the larger particle size. The large particle size of Sweet Bran appears to aid in improving diet digestibility and moderating rumen pH, which is more marked with low dietary inclusions (less than 18%).