The present study was conducted to determine the effect of feed intake on the composition of the rumen contents of sheep and on their bacterial densities. Whole rumen contents were sampled after a period of continuous inter-rumen infusion of 15NH3 from four rumen-cannulated wethers successively fed on a hay-concentrate diet (2:1, w/w on a DM basis) at two rates of feed intake: 40 and 80 g DM/kg...

The aim of the present study was to describe age-related changes in anatomic, functional and microbial variables during the rumen development process, as affected by the feeding system (supplemental feeding v. grazing), in goats. Goats were slaughtered at seven time points that were selected to reflect the non-rumination (0, 7 and 14 d), transition (28 and 42 d) and rumination (56 and 70 d) pha...

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...

The study aimed at assessing the prevalence of poor rumen development, presence of rumen plaques, rumen papillae hyperkeratinization, and abomasal lesions in veal calves and to investigate risk factors for their occurrence at the farm level. Within a wide cross-sectional study, a sample of 170 veal farms representative of the European veal meat production systems was considered in the 3 major p...

The rumen is arguably the most important organ in the ruminant digestive system. Ruminal microbial protein and volatile fatty acid (VFA) synthesis supply most of the protein and energy needs of the ruminant. Rumen function problems can reduce intake, digestion, and health of ruminants and culminate in death. Furthermore, inefficient rumen function reduces animal performance and health and contr...

Advances in knowledge of ruminant nutrition and metabolism during the second half of the twentieth century have been reviewed. Part I is concerned with metabolism in the rumen: Part II discusses utilization of nutrients absorbed from the rumen and lower tract to support growth and reproduction. The time frame was prompted by the crucial advances in ruminant physiology which arose from the work ...

The plasticity of lignin biosynthesis should permit the inclusion of new compatible phenolic monomers, such as rosmarinic acid (RA) and analogous catechol derivatives, into cell-wall lignins that are consequently less recalcitrant to biomass processing. In vitro lignin polymerization experiments revealed that RA readily underwent peroxidase-catalyzed copolymerization with monolignols and lignin...

In recent years there has been an increased interest in bacteriocins, primarily among the lactic acid bacteria, as a result of their applications in food preservation. There has been very little research on the occurrence of bacteriocin production among anaerobic bacteria. Recently, we reported a high incidence of bacteriocin-like inhibitory activity in isolates of the rumen anaerobe Butyrivibr...

Materials and Methods Dietary supplementation of probiotic yeast ( ) was noted to improve the animal performance by improving the digestibility of nutrients and rumen bacterial number [1]. Addition of yeast culture, as a probiotic, in animal feeds improves fibre digestion [2], the cellulolytic activity of rumen microbes [3], and reduces the lactate accumulation and oxygen concentration in rumen...

Energy-rich diets can challenge metabolic and protective functions of the rumen epithelial cells, but the underlying factors are unclear. This study sought to evaluate proteomic changes of the rumen epithelium in goats fed a low, medium, or high energy diet. Expression of protein changes were compared by two-dimensional differential gel electrophoresis followed by protein identification with ma...