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The Effect of Rumen and Post‐Rumen Feeding of Carbohydrates on the Caecal Microflora of Sheep
Author(s) -
Mann S. O.,
ØRskov E. R.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
journal of applied bacteriology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.889
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2672
pISSN - 0021-8847
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2672.1973.tb04130.x
Subject(s) - rumen , maltose , butyric acid , fermentation , sucrose , caecum , food science , bacteria , biology , bottle , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , medicine , mechanical engineering , genetics , engineering
S ummary . When sheep were bottle‐fed with solutions of glucose, sucrose or maltose, so avoiding fermentation in the rumen, there was a marked increase in the number of caecal bacteria, with a higher percentage of viable bacteria, compared with caecal counts from sheep fed conventionally on carbohydrates. Bottle‐feeding also resulted in a redistribution of bacterial types, 40–46% of the flora comprising Gram positive rods and a significant increase in butyric acid and decrease in propionic acid in the caecal contents. Feeding cellulose suspensions by bottle or conventionally failed to produce significant differences in counts of cellulolytic caecal bacteria. When sucrose was infused in increasing amounts into the abomasum, Streptococcus bovis was the principal organism, isolated from faeces.