Changes in the rumen microbial population and its activities during the refaunation period after the reintroduction of ciliate protozoa into the rumen of defaunated sheep

1993 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan G. Williams ◽  
Susan E. Withers

Changes in the microbial populations, their activities, and the ruminal fermentation were monitored for 50 d following the reintroduction of ciliate protozoa into four defaunated sheep. A protozoal population was reestablished successfully in each recipient, using a washed inoculum containing approximately 103 cells, although there were between-animal differences in the rates of recolonization and genus establishment. Entodinium spp. predominated in the initial stages of the refaunation period and had an apparent maximal generation time of 9–10 h. Bacterial and fungal numbers did not decline following the reintroduction of protozoa and a small transient increase in the numbers of amylolytic and xylanolytic bacteria and fungal zoospores occurred in the early stages of refaunation when the protozoal population was < 105/g ruminal contents, but these subsequently declined as the protozoa established. Although the fibrolytic bacterial population was lowest in period 3 (> 105 protozoa/g), the in sacco ruminal digestion of Lolium perenne hay and polysaccharolytic enzyme activities in the solids-associated populations were either maintained or increased when protozoa were present confirming the important contribution of protozoa to fibre breakdown in the rumen. Significant changes in ruminal microbial activities occurred after protozoal reinoculation but before the rumen had refaunated completely. Arylamidase activities in the liquor-phase population and ruminal ammonia concentrations increased significantly within 48 h of transfaunation; the magnitude of the effects became more pronounced as the protozoal population developed. However, volatile fatty acid formation and ruminal pH were not affected after the reintroduction of protozoa.Key words: rumen, sheep, ciliate protozoa.

1952 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 453 ◽  
Author(s):  
AW Turner ◽  
VE Hodgetts

After the consumption by adult sheep of an amount of aureomycin hydrochloride corresponding to 23.6-27.1 mg. per kg. body weight, the ruminal flora had fallen about 75 per cent. within two hours and remained a t this low level for at least two days, the survivors being predominantly Gram-positive rods and cocci. Ruminal fermentation was greatly depressed; the yield of organic acids reached only about 30 per cent. of the normal and was insufficient to lower the ruminal pH significantly. Appetite was lessened and body weight fell, but responded favourably to administration of ruminal fluid and yeast extract.


2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 438-439
Author(s):  
Joel D Sugg ◽  
Carly A Hoffmann ◽  
Lucas B Kondratovich

Abstract The effects of hay type and protein supplementation on intake, feeding behavior, nutrient digestion, and ruminal digestion characteristics were evaluated. Ruminally cannulated Angus beef steers (n = 6; BW = 304 kg ± 11 kg) were randomly assigned within a sequence of treatments using a 4 × 6 unbalanced Latin square design (6 steers; and 4 diets; fed once-daily). A 2 x 2 factorial treatment arrangement was used as follows: 1) ‘WW-B. Dahl’ Old World bluestem [Bothriochloa bladhii (Retz) S.T. Blake; WWBD or Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter; TEFF); and 2) dried distillers grain (DDGS) at 0 or 0.5% BW. Each period consisted of a 14-d of adaptation and 7-d collection. Steers were observed (5-min intervals, 24 h) for behavioral assessment; while ruminal pH was continuously measured (wireless pH probe), and ruminal fluid collected at 0, 2, 4, 8, and 16 h after-feeding. Steers fed TEFF hay and those fed DDGS (both, P = 0.04) had greater DMI compared to WWBD and not supplemented. Chewing activity did not differ (P ≥ 0.54). Non-supplemented steers spent more time eating hay (P &lt; 0.01) than supplemented steers. Average ruminal pH of TEFF (6.32) was lower (P &gt; 0.01) than WWBD (6.56). Non-supplemented steers produced less in vitro total gas and methane (both, P = 0.02) per g rumen fluid DM. The VFA profile was not affected (P ≥ 0.45) by treatments. Apparent total-tract digestibility and ruminal degradation (P ≤ 0.01) were greater with TEFF fed steers than WWBD. Hemicellulose digestion was reduced by 6.95% (P = 0.03) with DDGS supplementation. An annual hay in place of a conventional perennial hay improved intake, ruminal digestion of nutrients, without affecting feeding behavior, while supplementation with DDGS reduced forage intake time and quantity, without negatively affecting ruminal fiber digestion.


2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_4) ◽  
pp. 166-166
Author(s):  
Kaitlyn N Pierce ◽  
Andrew P Foote ◽  
Paul A Beck ◽  
Colton A Robison ◽  
Andrea L Warner ◽  
...  

Abstract Finishing cattle are fed high concentrate diets to increase deposition of both muscle and adipose tissue and decrease cost of gain. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effects of increased roughage inclusion late in the finishing period on growth performance, carcass traits, and ruminal and fecal characteristics of feedlot steers. Treatments included a control (CON; 6% roughage DM), intermediate (INT; 12% roughage DM), and high (HGH; 18% roughage DM) roughage diets. Crossbred beef steers (n = 54; BW = 289 ± 35.6 kg) were assigned to treatments for the late finishing period in a randomized complete block design (4 pens of INT and HGH, 5 pens of CON; 4 steers per pen). Experimental diets contained prairie hay, Sweet Bran, rolled corn, dry supplement, urea, and a corn steep and molasses-based liquid supplement. The inclusion rate of roughage and rolled corn were adjusted for each treatment diet. Steers in HGH tended to have increased overall DMI (P = 0.07). No differences in final BW, overall ADG, or gain:feed were observed among treatments (P ≥ 0.72). Steers fed HGH had the greatest REA (P = 0.03) and a tendency for a lower yield grade (P = 0.08). Fat thickness, HCW, marbling, liver scores, and KPH did not differ (P ≥ 0.29) among treatments. Steers fed the HGH diet had a lower fecal pH at the end of finishing (P = 0.05) compared to CON and INT steers. Ruminal lactate was increased on d 14 for CON steers compared to other treatments (P &lt; 0.001). No differences were observed for ruminal pH (P ≥ 0.11). Results of this experiment suggest that increasing roughage late in the finishing period does not negatively impact growth performance or carcass characteristics, but may alter ruminal fermentation and post ruminal digestion.


2014 ◽  
Vol 54 (8) ◽  
pp. 1056 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. S. Greenwood ◽  
M. J. Auldist ◽  
L. C. Marett ◽  
M. C. Hannah ◽  
J. L. Jacobs ◽  
...  

The objective of this experiment was to compare ruminal pH and whole-tract digestibility in cows consuming fresh cut herbage plus concentrates and silage or hay fed either separately or as a partial mixed ration (PMR). Fourteen rumen-fistulated Holstein-Friesian cows that had calved in late winter were housed in metabolism stalls for 9-day experiments in spring (97 days in milk (DIM)) and autumn (237 DIM). All cows were offered 8 kg dry matter (DM)/day of fresh cut perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) herbage, provided in two equal portions after each milking. Seven cows were assigned to each of two diets: (i) Control: 8.8 kg DM/cow.day milled wheat grain in two equal portions at milking, plus 3.2 kg DM/cow.day perennial ryegrass silage, with all cows receiving the silage portion of their diet after their grain but before their fresh herbage at the afternoon milking; and (ii) PMR: 12 kg DM/cow.day of a PMR containing similar ME as the Control supplements, but comprising maize grain, maize silage, wheat grain, lucerne hay (spring) and pasture silage (autumn). Intake and faecal output was measured on 5 days during each experiment, and ruminal pH was measured every 2 h for a 24-h period. Degradability of wheat and maize grain was measured using standard in sacco techniques. In both experiments, cows fed PMR had higher ruminal fluid pH than Control cows for at least part of the day. Apparent whole-tract digestibilities of DM, organic matter, nitrogen, neutral detergent fibre and starch were greater for Control than PMR cows in spring and not different in autumn (except starch). Ruminal pH was increased by feeding a maize-based PMR but this was not associated with increased whole-tract digestibility. We conclude that the ruminal pH in the Control cows was not low enough for long enough to compromise digestion, or that there was compensatory post-ruminal digestion.


2017 ◽  
Vol 118 (9) ◽  
pp. 651-660 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yury Tatiana Granja-Salcedo ◽  
Juliana Duarte Messana ◽  
Vinícius Carneiro de Souza ◽  
Ana Veronica Lino Dias ◽  
Luciano Takeshi Kishi ◽  
...  

AbstractThe objective of this study was to determine whether a combination of crude glycerin (CG) and soyabean oil (SO) could be used to partially replace maize in the diet of Nellore steers while maintaining optimum feed utilisation. Eight castrated Nellore steers fitted with ruminal and duodenal cannulas were used in a double 4×4 Latin square design balanced for residual effects, in a factorial arrangement (A×B), when factor A corresponded to the provision of SO, and factor B to the provision of CG. Steers feed SO and CG showed similar DM intake, DM, organic matter and neutral-detergent fibre digestibility to that of steers fed diets without oil and without glycerine (P>0·05). Both diets with CG additions reduced the acetate:propionate ratio and increased the proportion ofiso-butyrate, butyrate,iso-valerate and valerate (P<0·05). Steers fed diets containing SO had less total N excretion (P<0·001) and showed greater retained N expressed as % N intake (P=0·022). SO and CG diet generated a greater ruminal abundance ofPrevotella,Succinivibrio,Ruminococcus,SyntrophococcusandSucciniclasticum.Archaea abundance (P=0·002) and total ciliate protozoa were less in steers fed diets containing SO (P=0·011). CG associated with lipids could be an energy source, which is a useful strategy for the partial replacement of maize in cattle diets, could result in reduced total N excretion and ruminal methanogens without affecting intake and digestibility.


2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_4) ◽  
pp. 325-325
Author(s):  
Allison Stevens ◽  
Cheyanne Myers ◽  
John B Hall ◽  
Gwinyai E Chibisa

Abstract This study evaluated the interaction between the stage of maturity of Eragrostis tef (teff) grass and supplemental energy source on ruminal fermentation characteristics and nitrogen (N) utilization. Six ruminally-fistulated beef heifers were used in a 3 × 3 split-plot design (21 d periods). The whole plot factor was stage of maturity of teff hay [early- (EH) or late-heading (LH)], and the subplot factor was supplemental energy source [no supplement (CON), rolled corn grain or beet pulp pellet (BP)] fed at 0.5% of body weight. Feed intake was measured daily. Indwelling pH loggers were used to measure ruminal pH (d 14 to 21) and ruminal fluid was collected from d 19 to 21 to determine fermentation characteristics, as were feces and urine to measure N excretion. Data was analyzed using PROC MIXED in SAS. There was no stage of maturity × supplement interaction for all measurements (P ≥ 0.17). Although dry matter intake (DMI) tended to be greater (P = 0.07) for heifers fed EH than LH hay, it did not differ (P = 0.88) across supplements. Ruminal acetate concentration tended (P = 0.098) to be greater for EH than LH heifers, whereas butyrate, isobutyrate, and isovalerate concentrations were greater (P ≤ 0.045) for BPP than CON heifers. However, the duration and area pH &lt; 6.2 and 5.8 did not differ (P &gt; 0.12) across treatments. Except for microbial N flow, which was greater (P &lt; 0.01) for EH than LH heifers, there was no stage of maturity or supplement effect (P ≥ 0.14) on measures of N utilization. In summary, feeding teff hay harvested at the EH than LH stage of maturity increased DMI and microbial N supply, whereas feeding corn and BP as energy supplements to beef heifers had no effect on ruminal pH.


1998 ◽  
Vol 22 ◽  
pp. 120-122
Author(s):  
A. S. Chaudhry

The need to develop an in vitro method to simulate ruminal digestion of protein foods has long been recognized. An in vitro method must be more rapid, consistent and convenient than in sacco methods. Purified enzymes have been examined in the past to estimate in vitro degradability of protein foods (Poos-Floyd et al., 1985; Aufrere et al., 1991; Luchini et al., 1996) or their fractions (Chaudhry and Webster, 1994). However, the selection of an appropriate enzyme for a range of foodstuffs remains to be realized. This study examined the potential of two enzymes and a centrifuged rumen fluid (CRF) to estimate proteolysis of food proteins.


2014 ◽  
Vol 191 ◽  
pp. 16-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Martínez-Fernández ◽  
L. Abecia ◽  
E. Ramos-Morales ◽  
A.I. Martin-García ◽  
E. Molina-Alcaide ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 1669
Author(s):  
Tatiana García Díaz ◽  
Antonio Ferriani Branco ◽  
Luís Carlos Vinhas Ítavo ◽  
Geraldo Tadeu dos Santos ◽  
Silvana Teixeira Carvalho ◽  
...  

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of increasing levels of cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL) in ruminant diets on in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), gas production kinetics, ruminal fermentation parameters, ammoniacal nitrogen concentration (NH3-N), and pH of the artificial rumen contents. The experimental design was completely randomized in a factorial 5 x 4 + 1 design, with five concentrate levels (200, 400, 600, 800, and 1,000 g kg-1 DM) and four CNSL levels (0, 0.3, 0.6, and 1.2 g kg-1 DM), as well as a control diet comprising only whole-plant corn silage, totaling 21 treatments. The inclusion of concentrate linearly increased IVDMD, while CNSL levels showed a quadratic effect, with the maximum estimated at 0.5 g kg-1 of CNSL. The total gas production, the disappearance of the substrate, the fraction of slow degradation (fraction VF2), and the respective degradation rate (fraction µ2) linearly increased with increasing levels of concentrate in the diet. Increasing concentrate levels resulted in a linear increase in the concentration of NH3-N and a reduction in the pH of the rumen liquid. Increasing CNSL levels decreased the concentration of NH3-N and increased the ruminal pH. The inclusion of 0.5 g CNSL kg-1 in the ruminant diets improved IVDMD, without altering the kinetic parameters of ruminal fermentation. The addition of CNSL to ruminant diets reduces ammoniacal nitrogen production and can avoid drastic reductions in ruminal pH, favoring better fermentation in the rumen.


2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 324-335
Author(s):  
Jefferson Leonardo Rocha Alves ◽  
Rafael Henrique de Tonissi e Buschinelli de Goes ◽  
Antônio Campanha Martinez ◽  
Aguinaldo Yoshio Nakamura ◽  
Jefferson Rodrigues Gandra ◽  
...  

SUMMARY This study aimed to evaluate the rumen degradability of dry matter (DM), disappearance of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) of Tifton 85 hay, and fermentation parameters (pH and ruminal ammonia nitrogen) of sheep fed diets with inclusion of safflower grains (0, 7.50 and 15%). Three mixed breed lambs with average body weight of 35.50± 1.50 kg were used. The rumen degradability of dry matter and NDF of the Tifton 85 haywas analyzedby the disappearance of DM and NDF, and the kinetic parameters adjusted according to the first order asymptotic model. The samples were incubated in the rumen in descending order (96, 48, 24, 12, 6, 3, 0 hours). The determination of ruminal pH and ruminal ammonia nitrogen (RAN) was performed before feeding and 2, 4, 6 and 8 hours after feeding. Data of ruminal fermentation were tested by analysis of variance with repeated measures in time, at 5% probability. Ruminal pH values were not statistically different. When evaluating the RAN, there was a significant difference between the times and treatments for the diet with 15% safflower. The diets presented low effective degradability of DM and NDF with mean values of 18.02% and 47.40%, respectively. The safflower grain can be used up to 7.50% in the diets without altering the degradability and ruminal fermentation.


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