Shelbey Taylor

She/her

Education: Bachelor of Science in animal sciences and industry (May 2018)

Currently pursuing a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University

McNair Project: Effect of Protein Supplementation on Fiber Disappearance and Fermentation Parameters Using an Equine Cecal Inoculum (2017)

Mentor: James Lattimer, Ph. D.

Four cecally cannulated Quarter Horses were used to examine the effect of protein supplementation on fiber disappearance and fermentation parameters in vitro. Fermentation bottles containing buffered cecal fluid were used in a 2 x 5 factorial with four replications (horse). Factors consisted of substrate (alfalfa and native prairie hay) and sodium caseinate level (0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 2.0% and 4.0%). Bottles were incubated for 48 h, at which time fluid and digesta was collected for pH, DM, NDF and ADF analyses. Sodium caseinate had no effect on pH, DM, NDF or ADF in bottles containing alfalfa. Bottles containing prairie hay and supplemented with 0.5%, 1.0%, 2.0% and 4.0% sodium caseinate had lower (p <0.05) pH when compared to the control. Dry matter, NDF and ADF disappearance were greater (p <0.05) in bottles containing prairie hay supplemented with 1.0%, 2.0% and 4.0% sodium caseinate when compared to the control. No differences were observed for any response variable between the 2.0% and 4.0% levels of sodium caseinate. Results from this study show that fiber disappearance can be enhanced by supplementing sodium caseinate to a low protein forage. This can be attributed to an increase in microbial fermentation activity or population. Supplementing sodium caseinate at a rate of 2.0% appears to be the most efficacious.