This study was designed to investigate the effect of three heating methods on the ruminal and post-ruminal nutrient degradability and starch granule morphology of barley grain (BG -Hordeum vulgare). Treatments were Control (CG): without processing; Roasted (RG): roasted BG for 300 s at 130 C; Microwaved (MG): irradiated BG for 120 s at 1200 W; and Steam flaked (SG): BG misted for 30 min under steam flow of boiling water and flaked. Gas production and in situ techniques were used to evaluate the ruminal degradability of treatments, and a modified three-step method was utilised to estimate the total-tract digestibility. Morphological changes of starch granules were determined by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). Ruminal gas production and dry matter disappearance were increased (p < .05) in SG vs. CG. Heat processing had different effects on starch and crude protein degradability; however, starch degradability increased (p < .05) from CG to SG. Postruminal disappearance of dry matter in CG was greater (p < .05) than other treatments. These results validated by FESEM images that explained high barley grain degradability in relation to the number of holes on the surface of starch granules.Heat processing can enhance ruminal and post-ruminal utilisation efficiency of barley grain, resulting in improvement of total-tract digestibility.

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Over the past decades, the agro-industrial by-products (AIBP) has received considerable attention. With this motivation, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of AIBP as a source of non-fiber carbohydrates on biogas production kinetic, methane emission and fermentation characteristics. Experimental treatments were (1) Sugar beet pulp (SBP) (control), (2) Apple pomace (AP), (3) Orange pulp (OP, (4) 33% AP + 66% OP, (5) 50% AP + 50% OP and (6) 66% AP + 33%OP. For this work, we analyzed the data collected from the kinetics of digestion through biogas production, ex-vivo methane emission, in-vitro digestibility of dry matter and fermentation parameters. Field emission scanning electron microscope was used to show the nano structural differences of the AIBPs. Our results demonstrated the significant differences of the crude protein among the treatments (P < 0.05). Biogas production and methane emission were significantly higher in SBP and OP treatments (P < 0.05). The most eminent and the lowest amounts of acetate were observed for AP and OP (61.84 mmol/L, 58.15 mmol/L), respectively. More broken edges were obvious in OP images. particle size was rather smaller in SBP. Images of AP showed a sleek surface which may act as a shield preventing more digestion. Overall, beside reducing environmental contamination by AIBP, our results showed a positive effect of AIBPs on degradation and biogas kinetics, methane emission and in vitro fermentation parameters describing that they can be used as a good source of non-fiber energy sources.