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Rumen fermentation studies on two contrasting diets. 2. Comparison of the performance of an in vitro continuous-culture fermentation with in vivo fermentation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

T. N. Barry ,
A. Thompson  and
D. G. Armstrong
T. N. Barry
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural Biochemistry, University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne
A. Thompson
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural Biochemistry, University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne
D. G. Armstrong
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural Biochemistry, University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne
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Summary

An impermeable continuous-culture artificial rumen was constructed and rumen microbial populations were cultured in vitro for periods of up to 23 days. Diets of hay and 20:80 hay:cooked flaked maize (concentrate diet) were fed to the in vitro cultures and also to sheep, and the performance of the in vitro fermentation compared with that of the in vivo fermentation.

With the hay diet, changing the initial inoculum from strained rumen liquor to unmodified rumen contents (containing solid ingesta) reduced the time required to attain a steady-state fermentation in vitro from 13 to 4 days. VFA molar proportions and the CO2: CH4 ratio indicated that the type of fermentation taking place in vitro was remarkably close to in vivo fermentation. However, rates of cellulose digestion, CH4 production and number of bacteria/unit volume (as judged by DNA concentration) were much less in vitro than in vivo, showing that the rate of fermentation was reduced in the artificial rumen. Total VFA concentration and the osmotic pressure of fermentor liquor were slightly higher than the maximum values found in vivo, and it was concluded that these were responsible for the reduced rate of fermentation.

Regardless of the duration of culture, a satisfactory steady-state fermentation was never attained when the concentrate diet was administered. DNA concentration in fermentor liquor declined to very low levels after 4 days; CH4 production rapidly declined and was replaced by H2 production after 5 days. VFA molar proportions bore little resemblance to those found in vivo. Both the osmotic pressure of fermentor contents and total VFA concentration rapidly increased with time, and by day 3 were approximately 2·5 times the values found in vivo. It was concluded that high VFA concentration, and the associated increase in osmotic pressure, were the main factors responsible for the unrealistic in vitro fermentation, and that this problem was much greater than encountered with the hay diet due to starch being digested at a faster rate than cellulose and hemicellulose.

Methods of regulating VFA concentration in continuous culture in vitro rumen systems are discussed and some improvements suggested.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 89 , Issue 1 , August 1977 , pp. 197 - 208
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1977

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