I n vitro rumen experiments have been conducted for at least 40 years, and many research problems have been examined successfully by this approach. The simplest sub-division of in vitro rumen systems is into batchand continuous-culture types. The batch-culture approach involves the provision of an initial supply only of substrate, which results in a culture in which the concentration of substra...

The production of methane biofuel from seaweeds is limited by the hydrolysis of polysaccharides. The rumen microbiota of seaweed-eating North Ronaldsay sheep was studied for polysaccharidic bacterial isolates degrading brown-seaweed polysaccharides. Only nine isolates out of 65 utilized >90% of the polysaccharide they were isolated on. The nine isolates (eight Prevotella spp. and one Clostridiu...

The growing public concerns over chemical residues in animal-derived foods and threats of antibiotic-resistant bacteria have renewed interest in exploring safer alternatives to chemical feed additives in ruminant livestock. Various bioactive phytochemicals including saponins appear to be potential 'natural' alternatives to 'chemical' additives in modulating rumen fermentation favourably and ani...

Certain anaerobic ruminal bacteria synthesize the leucine carbon skeleton by use of a pathway different from that described in other microorganisms. These organisms carboxylate the intact carbon skeleton of isovalerate, synthesizing leucine-2-C(14) from isovalerate-1-C(14). Strains of Bacteroides ruminicola and Peptostreptococcus elsdenii were like Ruminococcus flavefaciens in that they incorpo...

An average of 11 (range, 2 to 47) mumoles of formate per g per hr was produced and used in whole bovine rumen contents incubated in vitro, as calculated from the product of the specific turnover rate constant, k, times the concentration of intercellular formate. The latter varied between 5 and 26 (average, 12) nmoles/g. The concentration of formate in the total rumen contents was as much as 1,0...

purpose: to determine the normal conjunctival flora in neonates and infants. methods: conjunctival specimens were obtained from both eyes of 43 newborns delivered by cesarean section (c/s) and 53 newborns delivered by normal vaginal delivery (nvd) as well as 54 healthy infants in two maternity and pediatric hospitals. the specimens were cultured aerobically, anaerobically and for fungi. results...

The notion of a “biobased economy” in the context developing country such as South Africa (SA) necessitates development technologies that utilize sustainable feedstocks, have simple and robust operations, are feasible at small scale produce variety valuable bioproducts, thus fitting biorefinery concept. This case study focuses on microbial production higher-value products from selected organic ...

Methane is the single largest source of anthropogenic greenhouse gases produced in ruminants. As global warming a main concern, interest mitigation strategies for ruminant derived methane has strongly increased over last years. natural by-product anaerobic microbial (bacteria, archaea, protozoa, and fungi) fermentation carbohydrates and, to lesser extent, amino acids rumen. This gaseous compoun...