Effect of transferring lignocellulose-degrading bacteria from termite to rumen fluid of sheep on in vitro gas production, fermentation parameters, microbial populations and enzyme activity

The digestive tract of termite(Microcerotermes diversus) contains a variety of lignocellulose-degrading bacteria with exocellulases enzyme activity, not found in the rumen, which could potentially improve fiber degradation in the rumen. The objectives of the current study were to determine the effect of inoculation of rumen fluid(RF) with three species of bacteria isolated from termite digestive tract, Bacillus licheniformis, Ochrobactrum intermedium, and Microbacterium paludicola, on in vitro gas production(IVGP), fermentation parameters, nutrient disappearance, microbial populations, and hydrolytic enzyme activities with fibrous wheat straw(WS) and date leaf(DL) as incubation substrate. Inoculation of RF with either of three termite bacteria increased(P<0.05) ammonia-N concentration compared with the control group(free of termite gut bacteria). Termite bacteria inoculation had no effect(P>0.05) on gas production characteristics, dry matter, organic matter and neutral detergent fiber disappearance, pH, and concentration and composition of volatile fatty acids. Population of proteolytic bacteria and protozoa, but not cellulolytic bacteria, were increased(P<0.05) when RF was inoculated with termite bacteria with both WS and DL substrates. Inoculation of RF with termite bacteria increased protease activity, while activities of carboxymethyl-cellulase, microcrystalline-cellulase, α-amylase and filter paper degrading activity remained unchanged(P>0.05). Overall, the results of this study indicated that transferring lignocellulose-degrading bacteria, isolated from digestive tract of termite, to rumen liquid increased protozoa and proteolytic bacteria population and consequently increased protease activity and ammonia-N concentration in vitro, however, no effect on fermentation and fiber degradation parameters were detected. These results suggest that the termite bacteria might be rapidly lysed by the rumen microbes before beneficial effects on the rumen fermentation process could occur.

Performance and ruminal parameters of fattening Moghani lambs fed recycled poultry bedding

This study investigated the effects of recycled poultry bedding(RPB) on performance and protozoa population, microbial enzyme activity and microbial protein synthesis(MPS) in rumen contents of fattening lambs. Thirty-six male Moghani lambs(31.4 ± 3.2 kg body weight) were fed iso-energetic and iso-nitrogenous diets containing 0, 70,140 or 210 g/kg dry matter(DM) RPB in a balanced randomized design(9 lambs per treatment). Results showed that final body weight, DM intake, average daily gain and feed conversion ratio were unchanged(P > 0.05) by RPB inclusion. Total protozoa population and subfamily of Entoniniinae and Diplodiniiae were linearly decreased by RPB(L, P < 0.05). For rumen fibrolytic enzymes including carboxymethyl-cellulase, microcrystalline-cellulase and filter paper degrading activity, the extra cellular, cellular and total(extra cellular plus cellular fraction) activity were similar(P > 0.05) by feeding the experimental diets. Inclusion of RPB in the diet linearly decreased extra cellular and total a-amylase activity(L, P < 0.05), while cellular activity was unchanged(P > 0.05). The extra cellular activity of proteases tended to increase(L, P=0.07) and their total and cellular activity increased(P > 0.05) in lambs fed RPB. Incorporation of RPB into the diet had no effect(L, P > 0.05) on urinary purine derivative excretion and MPS. In conclusion, inclusion of RPB up to 210 g/kg DM had no negative impact on performance, ruminal fibrolytic enzyme activity and MPS, while it increased rumen protease activity and decreased protozoa population in fattening Moghani lambs.