Comparison of the hydrolytic activity of microorganisms in the forestomachs of dromedaries and sheep.

rumen cannula were fed 2 equal meals per day: wheat straw (475 and 95 g, respectively) and a mixture containing 59% olive hard crust, 40% wheat bran and 1 % NaCl (4.2 and 1.5 kg). In vitro degradation (table I) of the less digestible substrates was higher in camels than in sheep. In sacco degradation, corrected for microbial contamination, confirmed this result. In sacco degradation of soya bean meal was lower in camels than in sheep for the first 36 h (table II), which was the highest retention time of this substrate in the rumen. Micro-