Preliminary Observations upon Factors Influencing Cellulose Digestion by Rumen Microorganisms

Burroughs, Wise; Frank, Norma A.; Gerlaugh, Paul; Bethke, R. M.

doi:10.1093/jn/40.1.9

Cited by 110 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…For example in the paper by Burroughs, Frank, Gerlaugh & Bethke (1950) on cellulose fermentation by rumen contents in vitro, it is vaguely stated that some of the larger types of protozoa failed to survive throughout the entire series of fermentations. Since the two great groups of rumen ciliates (i.e.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Action of the Ciliates of the Sheep's Rumen upon Various Water-soluble Carbohydrates, Including Polysaccharides

Masson¹,

Oxford²

1951

Journal of General Microbiology

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SUMMARY: When holotrich ciliates of hay-fed sheep's rumen acted upon watersoluble carbohydrates under conditions comparable with those in the m e n save for the absence of appreciable bacterial competition, only glucose, fructose, sucrose, inulin, bacterial levan (from Bacillus megatherium) and to a lesser extent cellobiose were utilized for rapid and extensive storage of iodophilic polysaccharide granules (cf. Oxford, 1951). No other soluble carbohydrate tried (including maltose) was so utilized. When polysaccharide storage did take place the product always gave a purple colour with iodine, and had the properties of a starch rather than glycogen in that it gave an insoluble iodine complex under the conditions of Pucher, Leavenworth & Vickery (1948). Storage of starch by oligotrich ciliates was much slower than with holotrichs, and did not take place with cellobiose as substrate. Holotrich ciliates continued to replace themselves in the sheep's rumen even when large volumes of m e n contents were periodically withdrawn over a long period. The protozoan starch could be isolated in about 1 % yield by application of the Pucher et al. (1948) method direct to the dry matter of strained m e n liquor taken from sheep which had grazed on starch-free Spring grass.The ciliate literature contains numerous references to the storage of polysaccharides variously termed glycogen, starch, paraglycogen, paramylum, etc. (cf. Doyle, 1943; Kudo, 1947), but these iodine-staining inclusions have never been isolated in sufficient quantity to allow proper chemical investigation of them. The observation made previously (Oxford, 1951) that the holotrich ciliates of sheep fed on a starch-free diet (hay) stored relatively enormous numbers of tiny iodophilic polysaccharide granules when glucose, for example, was fermented in vitro by muslin-strained lumen liquor, has now been utilized in the preparation of a large specimen (more than 50 g.) of this polysaccharide in a relatively pure state in order that such a chemical investigation might be made, beginning with a decision between the starch and glycogen possibilities.In these in vitro fermentations the protozoa were, of course, competing with bacteria for the available sugar, and the yield of protozoan starch was never more than 5-10 % of the total sugar fermented. Attempts were, therefore, made to use an inoculum consisting mainly of protozoa, not only to minimize bacterial interference in order to obtain larger overall yields of protozoan starch, but also to find out which carbohydrates other than glucose, fructose and sucrose can be converted into starch by the protozoa acting alone. Owing to the difficulties of large-scale isolation of protozoa from lumen liquor without impairment of their fermentative powers, the first objective (greater overall yield) has not been attained, but the second, which obviously does not depend on the isolation of the greater part of the protozoa

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Action of the Ciliates of the Sheep's Rumen upon Various Water-soluble Carbohydrates, Including Polysaccharides

Masson¹,

Oxford²

1951

Journal of General Microbiology

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“…In all samples, the pH was measured and DM concentration determined by drying at 105 °C. The caecal contents (10 g) were added to 30 ml of water or Burroughs buffer (Burroughs et al 1950) with yeast extract (1 g·l -1 ) and urea (0.5 g·l -1 ). To stop the fermentation in former samples, HgCl 2 was added immediately.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Digestive Organs, Caecal Metabolites and Fermentation Pattern in Coypus (Myocastor coypus) and Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Marounek¹,

Skřivan²,

Brezina³

et al. 2005

Acta Vet. Brno

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Marounek M., M.Skfiivan, P. Bfiezina, I. Hoza: Digestive Organs, Caecal Metabolites and Fermentation Pattern in Coypus (Myocastor coypus) and Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Acta Vet. Brno, 2005, 74: 3-7.Six coypus and six rabbits fed the same granulated feed ad libitum were slaughtered, digestive organs with their contents weighed and digesta samples analyzed. The caecum was the largest digestive organ in both animal species. Its weight averaged 170 g in coypus and 157 g in rabbits (4.1 and 5.5% of the total body weight, respectively). In rabbits, the weight of stomach was greater and that of the small intestine smaller than in coypus (135 and 89 vs 85 and 111 g). Gastric acidity, caecal and colonic dry matter concentration were significantly higher in rabbits. Total volatile fatty acids (VFA) and ammonia concentrations in the caecal contents of coypus and rabbits were similar (100.1 and 23.3 µmol/g in coypus, and 103.7 and 25.5 µmol/g in rabbits, respectively). Molar percentages of acetate and propionate, however, were significantly higher and percentage of butyrate lower in caecal VFA of coypus than in rabbits (P < 0.002). The caecal contents were diluted with buffer and incubated anaerobically to determine the caecal fermentation pattern. Caecal microorganisms of coypus produced more propionate and methane, and less butyrate and valerate than caecal microbes of rabbits (P < 0.05). Thus, different major hydrogen sinks exist in the coypu and rabbit caecum. In conclusion, there are both differences and similarities in parameters of digestion in both animal species. Caecal fermentation pattern differed more than other parameters investigated. Coypu, rabbit, weight, digestive tract, digestion, caecum, fermentation Coypus (Myocastor coypus) and rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) are medium-sized herbivore animals with similar morphological features of the digestive tract. In both species the caecum is the primary site of digesta retention and microbial fermentation. Both coypus and rabbits practise caecotrophy, i.e. produce two types of faeces, soft and hard, and reingest soft ones. Soft faeces (fermented caecal material) are rich in nutrients, whereas hard faeces are basically a refuse. Comparative nutritional trials with coypus and rabbits are scarce, as well as with other non-ruminant herbivores. Hullár et al. (1992ab) found that coypus fibre requirement and the significance of caecotrophy were lower, probably due to continuous availability of low-fibre parts of aquatic plants in the coypu's natural environment. A high-fibre feedstuff (lucerne) was digested less efficiently in coypus than in rabbits, but in case of feedstuffs low in fibre (maize, wheat), or containing the fibre in an easily digestible form (wheat bran) no difference in digestibility coefficients was observed. Caecal microorganisms of coypus produced more propionate and methane, and less butyrate than caecal microorganisms of rabbits (Marounek et al. 1999).This study has been aimed at extending our knowledge on comparative digestive ph...

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“…The rumen fluid (10 mL) was incubated for 6 h with Burroughs solution (10%; 40 mL; saturated with C0 2 ; initial pH 6.8) (Burroughs et al, 1950) in glass flasks (incubation gas: C0 2 ) at 39 °C in a shaking waterbath. As a nitrogen source, 10 mg of N as NH 4 HCO 3 were added per flask.…”

Section: Incubation Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of pH on lipolysis and biohydrogenation of soybean oil by rumen contents in vitro

Nevel¹,

Demeyer²

1996

Reprod. Nutr. Dev.

128

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Preliminary Observations upon Factors Influencing Cellulose Digestion by Rumen Microorganisms

Cited by 110 publications

References 6 publications

The Action of the Ciliates of the Sheep's Rumen upon Various Water-soluble Carbohydrates, Including Polysaccharides

The Action of the Ciliates of the Sheep's Rumen upon Various Water-soluble Carbohydrates, Including Polysaccharides

Digestive Organs, Caecal Metabolites and Fermentation Pattern in Coypus (Myocastor coypus) and Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Influence of pH on lipolysis and biohydrogenation of soybean oil by rumen contents in vitro

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