Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dlnhk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T23:21:03.241Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Manipulation of rumen fermentation in sheep by increasing the rate of flow of water from the rumen

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

D. G. Harrison
Affiliation:
Grassland Research Institute, Hurley, Near Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 5LR
D. E. Beever
Affiliation:
Grassland Research Institute, Hurley, Near Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 5LR
D. J. Thomson
Affiliation:
Grassland Research Institute, Hurley, Near Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 5LR
D. F. Osbourn
Affiliation:
Grassland Research Institute, Hurley, Near Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 5LR

Summary

The effects of an altered rumen dilution rate (D) upon the molar proportions of volatile fatty acids (VFA) in rumen liquor, VFA production rate, microbial protein synthesis and carbohydrate digestion within the rumen were studied using adult wether sheep.

Dilution rate and VFA proportions were unaltered by the infusion of up to 121 water/day into the rumen of sheep fed dried grass and concentrate (9:1). There was a small but significant (P < 0·05) increase in the rumen volume when the infusion rate was increased from 8 to 12 1/day.

The intraruminal infusion of artificial saliva (41/day), or artificial saliva containing 4% or 8% w/v polyethylene glycol (PEG) caused a significant increase in D with an associated decline in the molar proportion of propionate (Pr) in the rumen liquor. A similar effect was obtained with the intraruminal infusion of 2·5% w/v sodium bicarbonate. The overall regression of Pr on D was highly significant: Pr = 32·5–82·1D; r = –0·99, P < 0·001.

A diet of flaked maize: dried grass (6:4) was offered to three sheep each fitted with a rumen cannula and with a re-entrant cannula at the proximal duodenum. The intraruminal infusion (4 1/day) of artificial saliva containing 4% w/v PEG caused a significant (P < 0·01) increase in D and a significant (P < 0·01) depression in Pr in two animals. The dilution rate and Pr in the third animal were virtually unaltered by infusion. The regression of Pr on D for the three animals was highly significant: Pr = 34·8–136·8D; r = –0·98, P < 0·001. Each increase in D was associated with an increased flow of α-linked glucose polymer, total amino acids and total microbial amino acids into the small intestine and with an increased efficiency of microbial protein synthesis within the rumen.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1975

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Armstrong, D. G. (1972). Developments in cereal processing – ruminants. In Cereal Processing and Digestion, pp. 937. London: U.S. Feed Grains Council.Google Scholar
Baldwin, R. L., Lucas, H. L. & Cabrera, R. (1970). Energetic relationships in the formation and utilisation of fermentation end products. In Physiology of Digestion and Metabolism in the Ruminant, pp. 319–34 (ed. Phillipson, A. T.). Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Oriel.Google Scholar
Bauchop, T. & Elsden, S. R. (1960). The growth of micro-organisms in relation to their energy supply. Journal of General Microbiology 23, 457–69.Google ScholarPubMed
Beever, D. E., Harrison, D. G., Thomson, D. J., Cammell, S. B. & Osbourn, D. F. (1974). A method for the estimation of dietary and microbial protein in duodenal digesta of ruminants. British Journal of Nutrition 32, 99112.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Beever, D. E., Thomson, D. J. & Harrison, D. G. (1974). Energy and protein transformations in the rumen and the absorption of nutrients by sheep fed forage diets. Proceedings of the 12th International Grassland Congress, Moscow, 1974, section 5, pp. 6975.Google Scholar
Beever, D. E., Thomson, D. J., Pfeffer, E. & Armstrong, D. G. (1971). The effect of drying and ensiling grass on its digestion in sheep. British Journal of Nutrition 26, 123–34.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Brown, G. F., Armstrong, D. G. & Macrae, J. C. (1968). The establishment in one operation of a cannula into the rumen and re-entrant cannulae into the duodenum and ileum of sheep. British Veterinary Journal 124, 7882.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Corbett, J. L., Greenhalgh, J. F. D., McDonald, I. & Florence, B. (1960). Excretion of chromium sesquioxide administered as a component of paper to sheep. British Journal of Nutrition 14, 289–99.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Crampton, E. W. & Maynard, R. A. (1938). The relation of cellulose and lignin content to the nutritive value of animal feeds. Journal of Nutrition 15, 383–95.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Davis, C. L. & Brown, R. E. (1970). Low fat milk syndrome. In Physiology of Digestion and Metabolism in the Ruminant, pp. 545–65 (ed. Phillipson, A. T.). Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Oriel.Google Scholar
Dobson, A., Sellars, A. F. & Shaw, G. T. (1970). Absorption of water from isolated ventral sae of the rumen of the cow. Journal of Applied Physiology 28, 100–4.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Eadie, J. M. & Mann, S. O. (1970). Development of the rumen microbial population; high starch diets and instability. In Physiology of Digestion and Metabolism in the Ruminant, pp. 335–47 (ed. Phillipson, A. T.). Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Oriel.Google Scholar
Elsden, S. R. & Gibson, Q. H. (1954). The estimation of lactic acid using cerie sulphate. Biochemical Journal 58, 154–8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Esdale, W. J. & Satter, L. D. (1972). Manipulation of rumen fermentation. IV. Effect of altering ruminal pH on volatile fatty acid production. Journal of Dairy Science 55, 964–70.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Harrison, D. G. (1974). A simple method for the determination of rumen dilution rate in sheep. Newsletter on the Application of Nuclear Methods to Biology and Agriculture No. 3, 89.Google Scholar
Harrison, D. G., Beever, D. E., Thomson, D. J. & Osbourn, D. F. (1973). The influence of diet upon the quantity and types of ammo acids entering and leaving the small intestine of sheep. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 81, 391401.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hobson, P. N. (1965). Continuous culture of some anaerobic and facultatively anaerobic rumen bacteria. Journal of General Microbiology 38, 167–80.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hodson, P. N. & Summers, R. (1967). The continuous culture of anaerobic bacteria. Journal of General Microbiology 47, 5365.Google Scholar
Hodgson, J. C. & Thomas, P. C. (1972). The chemical composition and dilution rate of rumen fluid in sheep receiving a diet of barley, hay and flaked maize. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 31, 57 A.Google ScholarPubMed
Hungate, R. E. (1965). Quantitative aspects of the Rumen Fermentation. In Physiology of Digestion in the Ruminant, pp. 311–19 (ed. in chief Dougherty, R. W.). Washington: Butterworths.Google Scholar
Hutton, K., Bailey, J. F. & Annison, E. F. (1971). Measurement of the bacterial nitrogen entering the duodenum of the ruminant using diaminopimelic acid as a marker. British Journal of Nutrition 25, 165–73.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ishaque, M., Thomas, P. C. & Rook, J. A. F. (1971). Consequences to the host of changes in rumen microbial activity. Nature, New Biology 231, 253–6.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leng, R. A. (1970). Formation and production of volatile fatty acids in the rumen. In Physiology of Digestion and Metabolism in the Ruminant, pp. 406–21 (ed. Phillipson, A. T.). Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Oriel.Google Scholar
McMeniman, N. P., Ben-Ghedalia, D. & Armstrong, D. G. (1974). Nitrogen-energy inter-reactions in the rumen. Proceedings of the 1st International Symposium on Protein Metabolism and Nutrition, Nottingham (in the Press).Google Scholar
Macrae, J. C. & Armstrong, D. G. (1968). Enzymic method for the determination of α-linked glucose polymers in biological material. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 19, 578–81.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Macrae, J. C. & Armstrong, D. G. (1969). Studies on intestinal absorption in the sheep. British Journal of Nutrition 23, 1523.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McDonald, P., Edwards, R. A. & Greenhalgh, J. F. D. (1973). Digestion in Animal Nutrition, 2nd ed. pp. 123–46. Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd.Google Scholar
McDougall, E. I. (1948). Studies on ruminant saliva. Biochemical Journal 43, 99109.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Minson, D. J. (1966). Diurnal variations in the excretion of faeces and urine by sheep fed once daily or at hourly intervals. British Journal of Nutrition 20, 757–64.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Potter, B. J., Walker, D. J. & Forrest, W. W. (1972). Changes in intraruminal function of sheep when drinking saline water. British Journal of Nutrition 27, 7583.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Slyter, L. L., Bryant, M. P. & Wolin, M. J. (1966). Effect of pH on population and fermentation in a continuously cultured rumen ecosystem. Applied Microbiology 14, 573–8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stevenson, A. E. & De Langen, H. (1960). Modified wet digestion method for determination of chromic oxide in faeces. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 3, 314–19.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Walker, D. J., Potter, B. J. & Jones, G. B. (1971). Modification of carcase characteristics in sheep maintained on a saline water regime. Experimental Agriculture and Animal Husbandry 11, 1417.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wallnorfer, P., Baldwin, R. L. & Stagno, E. (1966). Conversion of (14-C)labelled substrates to VFA by rumen microbiota. Applied Microbiology 14, 1004–10.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Warner, A. C. I. & Stacy, B. D. (1968). The fate of water in the rumen. British Journal of Nutrition 22, 369–87.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Warner, A. C. I. & Stacy, B. D. (1972). Water, sodium and potassium movements across the rumen wall of sheep. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Physiology 57, 103–19.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Weller, R. A., Gray, F. V., Pilgrim, A. F. & Jones, G. B. (1967). The rates of production of volatile fatty acids in the rumen. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 18, 107–18.CrossRefGoogle Scholar