Sex-specific microbiota associations with backfat thickness, eye muscle area, and rumen fermentation in Qinchuan cattle

Table 3 Analysis of sex differences in rumen fermentation performance

Items	Heifers	Bulls	SEM	P-value
NH₃-N, mmol/L	3.34	5.32	0.188	< 0.001
Concentration of VFAs, mmol/L
Acetate	101.19	95.33	1.368	0.086
Propionate	23.12^B	26.57^A	0.538	0.010
Isobutyrate	1.37^A	1.07^B	0.026	< 0.001
Butyrate	11.36^A	9.66^B	0.266	0.010
Isovalerate	1.85	1.98	0.055	0.337
Valerate	1.367	1.53	0.052	0.199
Total VFAs	140.25	136.13	1.900	0.386
Acetate/Propionate	4.72^A	3.66^B	0.125	0.001

NH₃-N, ammonia nitrogen. VFAs, volatile fatty acid. SEM, standard error of the mean. Within the same row, distinct capital letter superscripts indicate significant differences between bulls and heifers (P < 0.05)

ISSN: 1471-2180