The effect of dietary sulfur on performance, mineral status, rumen hydrogen sulfide, and rumen microbial populations in yearling beef steers

Effect of pH buffering capacity and sources of dietary sulfur on rumen fermentation, sulfide production, methane production, sulfate reducing bacteria, and total Archaea in in vitro rumen cultures

“…On the relative basis, no difference was seen among the four dietary treatments for this genus of SRB. Overall, the increase of SRB abundance noted in the present study is somewhat consistent with the findings by Richter (2011), who reported increase in total SRB and Desulfovibrio desulfuricans in the rumen of steers fed increased dietary sulfur. Differences in the bacterial populations measured were noted between the two buffering capacities for the four dietary treatments (Table 4).…”

High dietary sulfur decreases the retention of copper, manganese, and zinc in steers

“…Ethanol coproducts are attractive in price and nutrient profile as feedstuffs for finishing cattle, but a greater inclusion in diets may increase the S content of the diet and decrease cattle performance and health (Kandylis, 1984;Spears et al, 2011;Uwituze et al, 2011;Richter et al, 2012). In the present study, DMI of steers was not different due to treatment, as steers were pair fed to maintain similar intakes between the low-and high-S steers.…”

“…Consuming a high-S diet for 28 d decreased plasma Cu approximately 34% compared to the low-S steers. There is a similar decrease in circulating Cu concentrations when cattle consumed a high-S diet for 76 d (Suttle, 1974), 149 d (Pogge and Hansen, 2013), or 155 d (Richter et al, 2012). Alternately, when S is consumed for a similar time period (28 d), as in the present study, no differences in serum Cu concentration were noted in steers consuming S-fertilized tall-fescue (0.33 or 0.40% S for control and fertilized, respectively) or orchard-grass (0.29 or 0.37% S for control and fertilized, respectively; Spears et al, 1985) or Angora goats consuming 0.16 and 0.34% S diets (Qi et al, 1993b).…”

“…Feed (pellet and hay), ort (pellet and hay), and fecal samples were acid digested before mineral analysis according to the method described by Richter et al (2012), while the liver and plasma samples were digested according to Pogge and Hansen (2013). Urine and fecal samples were diluted 1:60 and 1:9, respectively, in 1% nitric acid for the analysis of Ca, K, Mg, and Na.…”

Influence of different sources of zinc and protein supplementation on digestion and rumen fermentation parameters in sheep consuming low-quality hay

“…A recent review discusses progress in decreasing rumen methane through different additives by rumen microbial manipulation (Kobayashi, 2010). Some essential elements could also impact on rumen microbial fermentation as well (Martinez and Church, 1970;Spears and Hatfield, 1979;Rodriguez et al, 1995;Arelovich et al, 2000;Faixova and Faix, 2002;Arelovich et al, 2008;Richter, 2011). Previous research indicated that dietary addition of 250 to 400 mg Zn kg −1 DM to low-quality forage supplemented with urea retarded ammonia accumulation and increased molar proportions of propionate in beef cattle (Arelovich et al, 2000).…”