Local feed resources, particularly low-quality roughages and agricultural crop-residues, are of prime importance for ruminants raised in the tropics. These feeds exhibit close relationships with rumen ecology, microbes and rumen fermentation patterns. A number of dietary factors could influence rumen fermentation especially the basal roughage source, its physical form and fermentation end-produ...

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of feed types on Ochratoxin A (OTA) degradation by Korean native goats. Rumen fluid from canulated goats fed whole roughage or 50% roughage served as a source of micro-organisms. Experiments were undertaken i) to investigate OTA degradation ability in a 2×4 factorial arrangement with different feed types (100% roughage vs. 50% roughage) and rum...

Bacteria attached to the rumen epithelium (or epimural community) are not well characterised and their role in rumen functioning is not totally understood. There is just one published report of a clone library from one cow that suggests that this epimural community differs from the bacteria associated with the rumen digestive contents. However, this time-consuming approach is not adapted for ex...

The activities of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, ;malic enzyme', citrate-cleavage enzyme and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase were assayed in homogenates of rumen mucosa, liver and adipose tissue of cattle. Rumen mucosa cytoplasm contained activities of ;malic enzyme' approximately sevenfold those of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, suggesting that the conversion of propionate into lacta...

1. Four sheep, each fitted with a rumen fistula and a re-entrant cannula at the proximal duodenum were fed a semi-purified diet containing urea as the only nitrogen source. The quantities of total protozoal amino acid-N (TPAN) present in the rumen and entering the duodenum were determined when the mean rumen dilution rate (D) was low (0.034/h) and when D was increased to 0.078/h by the intrarum...

Monitoring rumen conditions in cows is important because a dysfunctional rumen system may cause death. Sub-acute ruminal acidosis (SARA) is a typical disease in cows, and is characterized by repeated periods of low ruminal pH. SARA is regarded as a trigger for rumen atony, rumenitis, and abomasal displacement, which may cause death. In previous studies, rumen conditions were evaluated by wirele...

Two rumen protozoa vaccine formulations containing either whole fixed Entodinium or mixed rumen protozoa cells were tested on Merino sheep with the aim of decreasing the number and/or activity of protozoa in the rumen. Negative control (no antigen) and positive control (Tetrahymena corlissi antigens) treatments were also included in the experiment. Blood and saliva were sampled to measure the s...

Increasing awareness of hazards associated with the use of antibiotic and chemical feed additives has accelerated investigations into plants and their extracts as feed additives. The present review mainly discusses two classes of plant secondary compounds in this context, i.e. essential oils and saponins. The broader potential of plants and their extracts is illustrated by the progress of an EC...

Rumen is a persistent and specific ecosystem consists of bacteria, protozoa and fungus where feed fermentation takes place in it. Produced Hydrogen in rumen can be used in the synthesis of the volatile fatty acids and the microbial protein and its excess would be eliminated through the production of Methane by methanogenesis. Nutritionists have tried to find ways to decrease loss and energy and...

The aim of the present experiment was to test the hypothesis that oral manipulation of feed is a behavioural need in cattle, irrespective of actual rumen load. Twelve rumen fistulated cows were used and subjected to four different treatments: low rumen content+long duration of eating (A), high rumen content+short duration of eating (B), high rumen content+long duration of eating (=positive cont...