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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1977

[Relationship between the volatile fatty acids (VFA) in the rumen and nitrogen secretion into isolated sheep's rumen].

Two sheep with a ruminal fistula and an isolated small rumen were studied for the secretion of ammonia nitrogen, urea nitrogen, and amino nitrogen into the isolated rumen at different levels of volatile fatty acids (VFA) (50, 133-97, and 97-66 M Mol 1(-1)) in the rumen. The VFA level in the rumen was found to exert a great influence on the quantitative secretion of endogenous nitrogen from the blood through the rumen wall into rumen content. When the VFA level in the rumen was increased by administration of a single dose of acetic, propionic, and butyric acid, the secretion of ammonia nitrogen and amino nitrogen abruptly dropped and the secretion of urea into the isolated rumen slightly increased. The over-all amount of nitrogen (NH3-N + urea-N + amino-N) that had passed into the isolated rumen in the course of an hour showed a highly significant correlation with the passage of nitrogen in the form of ammonia and amino nitrogen and was greatest before the application of VFA to the rumen, i.e. at the level of 50 m mol 1-1. Of the metabolites under study, which were passing to the isolated rumen, amino nitrogen shared the greatest proportion (45.38-46.54%). When the VFA level in the rumen was raised, the proportion of ammonia secreted to the isolated rumen decreased and the proportion of urea in the total amount of nitrogen increased.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Rumen motility in experimental acidosis of the rumen in sheep.

In rumen acidosis, induced by infusion of saccharose solution and solutions of different volatile fatty acids and lactic acid into the rumen, and during induced disturbances of acid-base equilibrium in the arterial blood the motility of the dorsal sac of the rumen, the pH of rumen content and the indices of acid-base equilibrium in the arterial blood were investigated. The pH and the indices were determined by the micromethod of Astrup with an Acid-Base-Cart ABC-1 unit. During saccharose-induced acidosis of the rumen the pH of its content was decreased and its motility was strongly inhibited. Acidification of rumen content corresponded to the dissociation constant of a given acid. The motility of the rumen was inhibited most strongly by butyric acid, followed with regard of this effect by acetic acid, propionic acid and lactic acid. It was found that hydrogen ions as well as anions and non-dissociated forms of acids produced in the rumen were responsible for inhibition of this motility and that the rise in the concentration of hydrogen ions in the blood had no inhibitory effect on the motility of the rumen.

Acetates↗
PubMed1977

The rumen flagellate Piromonas communis: its life-history and invasion of plant material in the rumen.

The rumen flagellat Piromonas communis is the zoospore of a phycomycete fungus inhabiting the rumen. Zoosporogenesis was stimulated by a dietary component (the inducer), and inhibited by compounds affecting membrane structure and function, but not by inhibitors of protein synthesis. The zoospores showed taxis towards the tissues surrounding the inflorescence of Lolium perenne L. in the rumen, invading principally the stomata and damaged tissues. The zoospores germinated on this substratum and the rhizoids of the developing vegetative stage penetrated the tissue, taking up C14 from labelled plant material, which was incorporated into the fungal cells. The conditions for maximum flagellate production (39 degrees C, pH 6-0 to 7-0, high concentration of CO2, absence of O2) resembled those found in the rumen. The organism was cultured in an undefined medium in vitro in the absence of other flagellates.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Effects of heavy metals and other trace elements on the fermentative activity of the rumen microflora and growth of functionally important rumen bacteria.

The inhibitory effects of high concentrations of essential and non-essential trace elements were tested on the rumen microflora using the rate of fermentation in vitro as the assay. The elements (and the concentration causing 50% inhibition) in decreasing order of toxicity were Hg2+ (20 microgram/ml), Cu2+ (21 microgram/ml), Cr6+ (70 microgram/ml), Se4+ (73 microgram/ml), Ni2+ (160 microgram/ml), Cd2+ (175 microgram/ml), As3+ (304 microgram/ml) and As5+ (1610 microgram/ml). The elements tested that were either weak or noninhibitory at concentrations greater than 400 microgram/ml included Zn2+, Cr2+, Fe2+, Mn2+, Pb2+, and Co2+. Methylmercury was as inhibitory as mercuric chloride to the fermentation. When the inhibitory effect of Cd2+ was tested on separated bacterial and protozoal fractions, it was more inhibitory to the bacteria. The inhibitory effects of trace elements were also determined for a number of axenic cultures of rumen bacteria. The bacteria which most frequently exhibited the greatest sensitivity were Bacteroides succinogenses, Ruminococcus albus, Bacteroides amylophilus, and Eubacterium ruminantium. Those often exhibiting intermediate sensitivities included Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens, Selenomonas ruminantium, and Megasphera elsdenii, while Streptococcus bovis was very refractory to all elements tested. Rumen fluid provided a modest protective effect for the bacteria.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

Factors affecting the uptake and metabolism of soluble carbohydrates by the rumen ciliate Dasytricha ruminantium isolated from ovine rumen contents by filtration.

A filtration technique is described whereby metabolically-active suspensions of Dasytricha ruminantium can be isolated from rumen contents with negligible contamination by bacteria or other protozoa. The effects of environmental factors and of the diurnal cycle of the rumen on the uptake and metabolism of soluble carbohydrates by these isolated cells were examined. The principal contribution of the protozoan metabolic end-products to the host ruminant is the supply of lactic, acetic and butyric acids during periods when soluble sugars are in excess.

Acetates↗
PubMed2026

Maternal contact and age-dependent succession influence the assembly of the calf rumen microbiome and virome.

Early-life colonization of the rumen is particularly important; however, the processes by which microbial and viral communities are transmitted and developed remain poorly understood. Here, we present a genome-resolved investigation of the effects of maternal contact and age-dependent succession on the calf rumen microbiome and DNA virome by comparing calves raised with or without maternal contact across early life using the metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) and viral operational taxonomic units (vOTUs) reconstructed from whole- and virus-like particle metagenomes. Across longitudinal samples from calves and their mothers, we identified 694 MAGs and 30,479 vOTUs, substantially expanding current genome databases and revealing extensive microbial and viral novelty. Our analyses demonstrated that both prokaryotes and DNA viruses are shared between dams and calves, with greater sharing observed in calves raised with maternal contact than in calves raised without maternal contact. Notably, viral sharing between cow-calf pairs was markedly lower compared to prokaryotes, suggesting high turnover and rapid viral diversification. Age-associated analyses further revealed coordinated shifts in prokaryotes and their viruses, with dominant genera such as Prevotella, Ruminococcus, and Fibrobacter, and their corresponding viruses increasing after day 40. These findings indicate that the early-life rumen microbiome and DNA virome undergo substantial age-dependent succession and are associated with maternal contact, providing new insights into host-microbe-virus interactions during rumen development.IMPORTANCEThis study provides one of the first genome-resolved views of DNA viral community development during early rumen colonization in calves (from 1 week to 70 days of age) and reveals how maternal contact and age influence the establishment of the calf rumen microbiome and virome. By analyzing longitudinal samples from calves raised with or without their mothers, we show that prokaryotes and their viruses undergo coordinated, age-dependent succession. Our results demonstrate that maternal separation alters the assembly of the calf rumen microbiome, highlighting the influence of maternal contact during early-life rumen development. These findings underscore the high plasticity of the early-life rumen ecosystem and suggest that early management practices, such as maternal separation, can have lasting effects on rumen development. This work provides fundamental insights into the establishment and succession of the calf rumen microbiome and DNA virome during early life and may contribute to future microbiome manipulation studies.

Animals↗
PubMed2026

Enhancing the fiber degradation efficiency in dairy cattle rumen through engineered bacterial communities.

BACKGROUND: The rumen functions as an anaerobic fermentation chamber, housing microorganisms with cellulolytic and proteolytic capabilities that facilitate feed utilization. Fiber-degrading bacteria possess the capability to enhance the productivity of cellulolytic feed. The application of omics technologies has greatly improved our understanding of the rumen microbiome. Determining microbial composition and functional patterns in the rumen does not equate to a comprehensive exploration of rumen microbial resources and their mechanisms of action. This study seeks to integrate high throughput 16S rRNA data with information on culturomics, cellulolytic activities, nutrition, and synthetic microbial communities (SynCom) engineering. The objective is to evaluate the relationship between rumen microbial activity and fiber utilization efficiency in cattle, ultimately aiming to develop a more powerful intervention strategy for the ruminant industry. RESULTS: The enrichment culture with various carbon sources led to significant alterations in the composition and structure of rumen microbiota, particularly enhancing those associated with carbohydrate metabolism. Employing the culturomics methodology, 896 strains from 78 species (including 8 novel species) were isolated, resulting in a 10.1% isolation rate relative to the rumen bacterial community. Among them, 35 strains demonstrated boosted cellulose-degrading capability on plates, while 25 exhibited the ability to degrade hemicellulose as well. SynComs of these candidates were prepared based on the ratio observed in rumen microbiota exhibiting high cellulolytic performance. SynCom 3 improved the neutral detergent fiber degradation (NDFD) by 20.39% averagely. Additionally, both in vitro and in situ assessments indicated that the optimization of dose/strain in SynCom 3 significantly improved the in vitro NDFD by 20.56% and increased the in situ NDFD by 7.81%, along with the acidic detergent fiber (ADF, + 11.47%). Genomic analysis revealed that the SynCom 3 functioned well in fiber degradation through the synergistic action of key carbohydrate-active enzymes. CONCLUSIONS: This study strengthens rumen microbiome research by integrating omics and SynCom engineering within a microbiota-bacteria-enzymes-genes framework, revealing the significance of enzymatic synergy in carbohydrate metabolism. The findings establish a framework for utilizing low-abundance microbes and engineering functional consortia, which are crucial for improving ruminant feed utilization and biomass conversion. Future research should investigate the transcriptomic profiles and the metabolic cross-feeding mechanisms of fiber-degrading strains in the rumen. Video Abstract.

Animals↗
PubMed2026

Rumen DNA virome plasticity and viral metabolic potential are associated with seasonal adaptation in grazing yak and cattle on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

BACKGROUND: As a diverse and abundant component of the rumen ecosystem, viruses interact with other microorganisms and are thought to influence microbial metabolism and host productivity. However, how the rumen virome responds to seasonal fluctuations in extreme environments remains poorly understood. Here, metagenomic analyses were used to investigate temporal dynamics of viral diversity, functional potential, and virus-host associations in the rumen virome of yak and cattle on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau across warm and cold seasons. RESULTS: Rumen viral communities exhibited pronounced seasonal variation in both yaks and cattle, with higher alpha diversity observed during the cold season than in the warm season. Across seasons, the yak rumen virome showed greater alpha diversity and community stability than that of cattle. In total, 27,353 temperate and 31,976 virulent viral operational taxonomic units (vOTUs) were identified, predominantly belonging to the class Caudoviricetes. These viruses were linked to microbial hosts spanning 24 bacterial and 8 archaeal phyla, with Bacteroidota and Bacillota representing the dominant lineages. Virus-host associations were more numerous in the cold season and showed distinct host-specific patterns between yaks and cattle. Cold-season virome exhibited reduced diversity of anti-defense genes and enrichment of auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs) associated with fatty acid metabolism and hemicellulose degradation. Notably, greater divergence between yaks and cattle was observed during the cold season: the yak rumen virome was enriched in pathways related to amino acid, lipid, and energy metabolism, as well as cellulose-degrading CAZyme families, whereas the cattle rumen virome showed enrichment in general carbohydrate metabolism and replication and repair processes. CONCLUSION: Seasonal plasticity of rumen DNA virome and pronounced interspecific divergence between yaks and cattle provide insight into their distinct microbial processes in the harsh environment of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. These findings suggest that the rumen DNA virome exhibits complex ecological and functional responses to seasonal variation and may be associated with host-microbiome interactions and nutrient utilization under environmental stress. This study highlights the ecological relevance of rumen viral genomes in understanding virus-microbiome interactions, microbial adaptation, and nutrient utilization in high-altitude ruminants.

Auxiliary metabolic genes↗
PubMed2026

Genome-resolved multi-omics provide new insights into microbial nitrogen utilization by the rumen microbiota.

BACKGROUND: Optimizing nitrogen (N) utilization in ruminant production systems holds both economic and environmental significance. However, traditional paradigms of N metabolism, derived primarily from well-studied model rumen bacteria, do not fully reflect the diverse and complex N metabolism in the rumen ecosystem. RESULTS: To address this gap, we utilized comparative genomics and genome-resolved multi-omics analyses using a curated set of microbial genomes to investigate N assimilation and regulation in rumen microbes. We discovered that well-established mechanisms of ammonia assimilation and regulation, such as the glutamine synthetase (GS)/glutamate synthase (GOGAT) pathways and their regulatory proteins, are absent in many of the predominant rumen microbes, which likely utilize alternative pathways for ammonia assimilation. These findings challenge the applicability of E. coli-based N regulation models to rumen bacteria in response to ammonia availability. We further linked polysaccharide utilization and ammonia assimilation across hundreds of rumen microbial species. Furthermore, we identified specific microbial species involved in ureolysis and denitrification, as well as phages carrying auxiliary metabolic genes involved in N assimilation. Using an animal trial involving 11 pairs of lamb twins in a crossover design, we demonstrated that dietary crude protein (CP) at 10% and 13% had minimal impact on rumen microbiome composition and expression of N assimilation genes. Instead, changes in concentrate levels altered N assimilation, notably increasing expression of amino acid biosynthesis pathways. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate a nuanced, species-specific microbial response to dietary interventions, highlighting the limitations of traditional N metabolism models applied to rumen microbes and the need for more granular studies of rumen microbial ecosystems.

Multiomics↗
PubMed1977

[The passage of nitrogenous compounds through the wall of perfused sheep rumen (author's transl)].

Experiments were performed by the method of the extracorporeal perfusion of sheep rumen lasting 150 minutes. After 60 minutes of perfusion, 20 g of enzymatic casein hydrolyzate were applied to the rumen. Ammonia, urea, and total nitrogen were determined in the samples of perfusate, and ammonia and pH were determined in the rumen content. Considerable amounts of ammonia accumulated in the perfusate in the course of the experiment. At the end of perfusion, the concentration of NH3-N reached an average value of up to 12 mg per 100 ml. The level of urea in the perfusate decreased only in the first phase of perfusion (before the application of casein hydrolyzate to the rumen) and remained unchanged in the subsequent phase. It is assumed that part of urea-N from the perfusate after urea hydrolysis, taking place already in the rumen wall, returned to the perfusate in the form of ammonia. In the first phase of perfusion the passage of nitrogen from the blood into the rumen took place, in the second phase its absorption from the rumen into the blood was observed. The urea-N ratio from the passage of total nitrogen into the rumen ranged between 4.63% and 13.84%, but the concentration of total nitrogen in the perfusate decreased by 7-15% and that of urea nitrogen by 37-42%. It follows from the results that a major part of endogenous nitrogen passing from perfusate to the rumen was represented by proteins and/or their peptidic splits.

Ammonia↗
PubMed2025

The selective culture and enrichment of major rumen bacteria on three distinct anaerobic culture media.

Ruminants play an important part in global food security, but also emit methane, which contributes to global warming. Rumen microbes strongly influence the energy retention efficiency from the host's plant-based diet and produce methane as a by-product. While thousands of novel microbial genomes have been assembled from metagenomic sequence data, their culturability is ill-defined. Here, different media (Med10, Med2, and MedTC) were used to isolate co-cultures of microbes from rumen fluid. Thirty-four OTUs were identified belonging to the phyla Bacillota (75.28 ± 6.34%), Bacteroidota (19.99 ± 4.85%), Pseudomonadota (2.46 ± 2.01%), and Actinomycetota (2.09 ± 1.07%). The most abundant genera were Selenomonas (28.08 ± 11.71%), Streptococcus (22.67 ± 6.06%), Prevotella (18.71 ± 4.02%), and unclassified Lachnospiraceae (11.50 ± 2.54%), and 31 significantly enriched on at least one medium, with each medium successfully culturing a distinct range of microbes. The composition of the source rumen fluid was vastly different from those cultured. Bacteroidota (52.53 ± 5.10%) predominated, with Bacillota (41.00 ± 3.96%), Methanobacteriota (5.12 ± 1.94%), Pseudomonadota (1.22 ± 0.78%), and Actinomycetota (0.12 ± 0.08%) comprising the rest. The most abundant genera were Prevotella (29.13 ± 4.16%), Butyrivibrio (18.21 ± 2.08%), Succiniclasticum (15.57 ± 5.03%), unclassified Bacteroidetes (13.91 ± 1.67%), and unclassified Prevotellaceae (9.50 ± 2.01%). These data further emphasize the importance of using defined media to select for different microbial taxa. This is essential to understand the complex workings of the rumen microbes to enhance digestion efficiency and reduce the loss of energy that could potentially be utilized by the host.IMPORTANCEThis research demonstrates that using a range of culture media, containing a wide variety of substrates, can lead to the culture of key rumen microbes. The knowledge of which of these microbes is selectively enriched on each medium is essential to understand how to grow these microbes in co-culture and isolate them in pure culture for further investigation. In addition, this research shows the stark disparity between the population of rumen microbes grown in co-culture and those found in the rumen itself. This further demonstrates the need for a targeted approach to growing and isolating these microbes. Learning how these microbes respond to culture media with different nutritional compositions will lead to a better understanding of the rumen microbiota, and this research provides a valuable insight into how selective media can target the enrichment of different microbes. This knowledge will contribute to increasing ruminant digestion efficiency and reducing methane production.

Rumen↗
PubMed1977

[Significance of ruminal juice examination in the diagnosis of subclinical rumen dysfunction].

The suitability of the metabolic test of rumen liquor for the diagnosis of subclinical rumen dysfunction was tested. The test for the assessment of the metabolic profile of the rumen included: the determination of pH, total titration acidity in clinical units, lactic acid in mg%, fatty acids in mmol 1-1, ammonia N in mg%, urea N in mg% and the number of infusorians in 1 ml of rumen liquor. This test enabled, on the basis of the examination of rumen liquor, to determine not only the kind and form of the disease but also its cause, with an incomplete clinical syndrome. Therapeutic measures, either direct (in the rumen liquor) or indirect (adjusted monodiet) improved the health condition and provided optimum rumen fermentation of permanent character. The resuption of rumen fermentation also enabled an increased production of fatty acids which favourably influenced the content of butterfat in milk.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

[Motility of the rumen after feeding sheep pelleted rations].

In an experiment with wethers the effect of the feeding with pelleted feed rations and the partial replacement of coarse fodder by non-treated beech sawdust on the motorial activity of the rumen was observed. The rumen motility was measured through a rumen fistula by means of the balloon method with the help of a capacitator primary unit, an electric manometer and a recording instrument. Over a period of 24 weeks the animals consumed 1.3 kg dry matter per day. It consisted of 41.8% meadow hay, 25.3% barley, 15.4% sawdust, 15.0% molasses, 1.3% urea, 0.76% mixed minerals and 0.48% hexametaphosphate in the form of pellets (test group) or the traditional classical form (control group). The feeding of pellets diminished the frequency (P less than 0.001) and the intensity of rumen contractions before and 1, 3 and 5 hours after feeding. Maximal frequency values were registered one hour after the food intake. During this time the number of secondary contractions of the rumen increased; differences of the frequency were, however, not registered, which means that the different physical form of the diet had no influence on the motorial activity of the rumen and that the food intake as such is the decisive factor. The diminished rumen motility in further hours after feeding was effected by treating the feed (grinding and pelleting).

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1979

Enumeration and selective isolation of rumen spirochetes.

Enumeration by means of light microscopy showed that from 0.4 x 10(8) to 2.0 x 10(8) spirochetes were present per ml of bovine rumen fluid. Viable cell counts yielded slightly lower values, ranging from 0.1 x 10(8) to 1.2 x 10(8) spirochetes per ml of rumen fluid. The antibiotic rifampin, which served as a selective agent for rumen spirochetes, was added to agar media used in the estimation of viable spirochete numbers in rumen fluid. Morphologically diverse spirochetes were isolated from rumen fluid by means of a procedure involving the use of rifampin as a selective agent in agar media. The strains isolated represented seven morphological types of spirochetes differing in cell size, cell coiling pattern, and number of periplasmic fibrils per cell. Electron microscopy showed that the number of periplasmic fibrils present in the different morphological types of rumen spirochetes ranged from 2 to more than 20 per cell. The results of this study indicate that the bovine rumen is a highly favorable environment for a number of morphologically diverse spirochetes.

Agar↗