Techniques used in studying rumen bacteriaThe bacteria of the rumen, and the biochemical changes they bring about, have been widely studied in recent years. The earlier work on this subject has been reviewed by Doetsch & Robinson (1953). It seems appropriate to begin the present review by considering briefly the techniques that have been used in these studies. They fall into six groups.In vivo experiments. The work of Hueter, Gibbons, Shaw & Doetsch (1958) presents an example of the use of the living ruminant for rumen studies. Carbohydrates and other materials were introduced into the rumen, and their conversion into various breakdown products was followed by analysis of samples of rumen fluid.Artificial-rumen experiments. The artificial-rumen technique has been used by many workers, for example Burroughs and his collaborators in their investigations on cellulose digestion ( Burroughs, Frank, Gerlaugh & Bethke, 1950). The artificial rumen consists in essentials of a stoppered flask, containing the inoculum of rumen contents, buffer solution, and substrate, immersed in a constant-temperature bath.
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