The ruminant animal is dependent upon anaerobic microorganisms for the digestion of plant materials in the rumen. The resultant microbial cells and fermentation acids are primary nutrients for the animal. Polysaccharides, such as hemicelluloses, are only partially degraded because of the chemical complexities of plant materials and biochemical processes involved in degradation.

Introduction Before birth, developing animals are sterile in the womb of their mothers. Upon birth, the digestive tracts of all animals are naturally colonized by a variety of microorganisms. Under healthy and non-stressful conditions, “beneficial” microflora colonizes the rumen and lower gut in a symbiotic relationship with the host. Beneficial rumen and gut microorganisms supply nutrients to ...

Folic acid plays an essential role in ruminant nutrition. Microorganisms in the rumen can synthesise folates, but these amounts are not sufficient to achieve the best efficiency of dairy cows. However, the amount of folates synthesised in the rumen could possibly, to some extent, be affected by the forage: concentrate ratio. The supply of folates by the diet and the synthesis by ruminalmicroflo...

High throughput sequencing was used to examine the rumen microbiota of sika deer fed high (OLH) and low concentration (OLL) of tannin rich oak leaves. The results showed that Prevotella spp. were the most dominant bacteria. The most predominant methanogens were the members of the order Methanoplasmatales. The dominant rumen protozoa were Entodinium longinucleatum, Eudiplodinium maggii, and Epid...

We used RNA probes and enzyme activities to compare the cellulolytic microbial ecosystems of the rumen and the cecum. Four rumen- and cecum-cannulated wethers were fed a diet of barley plus hay (60:40). Digesta samples were collected 1 h before feeding and 3, 6, and 9 h after feeding for measurements on microbial populations, and 1 h before feeding and 3 and 6 h after feeding for digestion meas...