• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.380-383
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• 2003

The gas dilution technique was used to evaluate the possibility of estimating the volume of gaseous phase in the rumen from its composition in sheep given rice whole crop silage (RWS) or dent corn silage (DCS) at a level of maintenance (M) or 2 M, and in the course of fasting. The rumen gas composition was determined at 2 and 7.5 h after morning feeding. Nitrogen gas was injected by using an airtight syringe into the rumen immediately after collecting the rumen gas sample as a control. Then rumen gas samples were collected at 5, 10, 20, 40 and 60 min. after injection. Dry-matter intakes were $42g/kg^{0.75}$ and $57g/kg^{0.75}$ for DCS, and $36g/kg^{0.75}$ and $59g/kg^{0.75}$ for RWS, at 1 M and 2 M levels, respectively. Animals ingested both silages about 20% less than expected at 2 M level. The rumen gas composition did not differ significantly between 2 h and 7.5 h after feeding except for $N_2$. Content of $CO_2$ in gas composition was significantly higher at 2 M level than at 1 M (p<0.05) for both RWS and DCS, whereas $CH_4$ showed no significant difference between feeding levels. At both feeding levels, $CO_2$ showed a higher (p<0.05) percentage in DCS than RWS. A dilution technique by using $N_2$ injection is not appropriate for the determination of gas production in vivo, unless the rate of rumen gas turnover is considered. Changes in composition at fasting indicate that the rumen fermentation may reach the lowest level after 72 h fasting for sheep given silage as their sole diet.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.62 no.1
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• pp.52-57
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• 2020

In rumen in vitro experiments, although nitrogen gas (N₂) flushing has been widely used, its effects on rumen fermentation characteristics are not clearly determined. The present study is the first to evaluate the effects of N₂ flushing on rumen fermentation characteristics in in vitro batch culture system by comparing with new applicable non-metabolizable gas: argon (Ar). The rumen fluid was taken from two Korean native heifers followed by incubation for 3, 9, 12, and 24 h with N₂ or Ar flushing. As a result, in all incubation time, N₂ flushing resulted in higher total gas production than Ar flushing (p < 0.01). Additionally, in N₂ flushing group, ammonia nitrogen was increased (p < 0.01). However, volatile fatty acids profiles and pH were not affected by the flushing gases (p > 0.05). In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that N₂ flushing can influence the rumen nitrogen metabolism via increased ammonia nitrogen concentration and Ar flushing can be used as a new alternative flushing gas.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.113-122
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• 2015

An experiment was conducted to examine the effects of Kalopanax pictus Nakai (Kalopanax) on in vitro rumen fermentation and methane (CH4) reduction. Kalopanax trunk was extracted with 70% ethanol and 70% methanol. Rumen fluid, alfalfa hay and buffer (control: C) supplemented with 0.3% Kalopanx juice (T1), 0.3% ethanol extract (T2) and 0.3% methanol extract (T3) in the total volume of culture medium were incubated at $38^{\circ}C$ for 24h and 48h. Rumen pH was lower in all Kalopanax treatments during all incubations than that in control (p<0.05). Total VFA and total gas production in T2 and T3 was significantly higher than that in C at 48h incubation (p<0.05). Ammonia-N was decreased in all treatments compared with C during the incubation periods (p<0.05). At 24h incubation, $CH_4$ contents were significantly reduced by both alcohol extracts. It is concluded that supplementing Kalopanax extracts can stimulate ruminal fermentation of rumen microorganisms and inhibit methanogenesis.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2017

This research was conducted to investigate the effects of feeding high and low forage diets with different forage sources on rumen fermentation characteristics and blood parameters of Holstein cows during the dry period. Eight Holstein cows were completely randomized assigned to two groups and repeated measurement was utilized in the analysis. Cows in two treatments were fed with diets with high (F:C = 70:30, 70F; forage source: mixed-sowing whole crop barley and Italian ryegrass silage, BIRG) and low (F:C = 55:45, 55F; forage source: tall fescue hay, TF) forage level. Rumen fluid pH was higher in 70F group. Levels of acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid showed a similar pattern: from the lowest value at 07:30 h to the highest at 10:30 h and then decreased in both groups. The ratio of acetic acid to propionic acid was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in 55F group at 09:30 and 10:30 h. Rumen fluid $NH_3-N$ concentrations were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in 70F group at 09:30 and 10:30 h. Blood urea nitrogen was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in 70F group. It was concluded that BIRG based diet with a high forage level had no adverse effects on rumen fermentation, some blood chemical parameters, and immune system in dry Holstein cows and could be used as a forage source instead of imported TF.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.615-624
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• 2005

The cPCR technique was used to monitor rumen fermentation and attachment of Fibrobacter succinogenes to cellulose at different pH in the in vitro culture medium. The target fragments of 16S rDNA(445 bp) were amplified from genomic DNA of F. succinogenes with specific primers and internal controls(205 bp) were constructed. Cell counts were estimated from the amounts of genomic DNA, which was calculated from cPCR results. F. succinogenes in pH 6.8 and 6.2 showed apparently higher attachment than in pH 5.8 during all incubation time. There were some difference between pH 6.8 and 6.2 in the degree of attachment, but the different was not significant (P>0.05). Cellulose degradation increased in process of incubation time and the increasing rate was higher when initial pH was higher. The pH in culture medium decreased regardless of initial pH in course of incubation time. After 24 h of incubation, medium pH was dropped by 0.24, 0.58 and 0.16 units from original medium pH 6.8, 6.2 and 5.8, respectively. More gas was produced at higher initial pH in the same manner as in cellulose degradation. In summery, Initial pH of rumen culture in vitro significantly influenced cellulose digestion, gas production, pH change and bacterial attachment. Especially, low pH(5.8) resulted in much lower bacterial attachment and fiber digestion compared to higher medium pH.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.541-548
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• 2017

This study was conducted to compare in vitro rumen fermentation characteristics among corn grains imported from America, Brazil, Argentina and Ukraine A and Ukraine B. Two Holstein steers, each surgically fitted with a ruminal cannula, consuming total mixed ration were used as rumen fluid donors. In vitro rumen fermentation experiments were performed in a completely random design which included a control (no corn) and treatments with 3.0 g of corn from different geographical origins, i.e., America, Brazil, Argentina, and Ukraine A and Ukraine B, respectively. Ruminal pH, ammonia-N, volatile fatty acid (VFA) and total gas production were measured at 0, 1, 3, 6, 12, 24 and 48 h post-incubation, respectively. No differences (p > 0.05) in mean ruminal pH appeared among the treated groups, however, ruminal pH patterns differed; i.e. corn treated groups had dramatically lower pH compared with control during the entire incubation period. Similarly, no different patterns between the groups in ammonia-N (p > 0.05) appeared until 6 h post-incubation. Unexpectedly, higher ammonia-N concentration for control than that for the corn treated groups appeared after 12 h post-incubation despite that for all groups increased. Total VFA was similar between the groups until 6 h post-incubation, but VFA after 12 h post-incubation was different (p < 0.05), i.e. VFA for corn from Argentina, Ukraine A, Ukraine B, and Brazil were comparatively higher than for America. Overall, data in this study showed that the corns of different origins may have different feed values to ruminants despite having similar chemical compositions.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.10
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• pp.1381-1388
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• 2012

An in vitro experiment was conducted to examine the effects of defaunation (removal of protozoa) on ruminal fermentation characteristics, $CH_4$ production and degradation by rumen microbes when incubated with cereal grains (corn, wheat and rye). Sodium lauryl sulfate as a defaunation reagent was added into the culture solution at a concentration of 0.000375 g/ml, and incubated anaerobically for up to 12 h at $39^{\circ}C$. Following defaunation, live protozoa in the culture solution were rarely observed by microscopic examination. A difference in pH was found among grains regardless of defaunation at all incubation times (p<0.01 to 0.001). Defaunation significantly decreased pH at 12 h (p<0.05) when rumen fluid was incubated with grains. Ammonia-N concentration was increased by defaunation for all grains at 6 h (p<0.05) and 12 h (p<0.05) incubation times. Total VFA concentration was increased by defaunation at 6 h (p<0.05) and 12 h (p<0.01) for all grains. Meanwhile, defaunation decreased acetate and butyrate proportions at 6 h (p<0.05, p<0.01) and 12 h (p<0.01, p<0.001), but increased the propionate proportion at 3 h, 6 h and 12 h incubation (p<0.01 to 0.001) for all grains. Defaunation increased in vitro effective degradability of DM (p<0.05). Production of total gas and $CO_2$ was decreased by defaunation for all grains at 1 h (p<0.05, p<0.05) and then increased at 6 h (p<0.05, p<0.05) and 12 h (p<0.05, p<0.05). $CH_4$ production was higher from faunation than from defaunation at all incubation times (p<0.05).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.455-461
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• 1998

This study was proposed to investigate effects of inclusion of Chinese milk vetch silage (MVS) and rapeseed meal (RSM) on the growth and rumen fermentation of Hu-sheep. Fifty weanling lambs were randomly divided into five equal groups and offered ammoniated rice straw (ABRS) ad libitum along with 100 g concentrate (Trial 1). The animals in $T_0$, $T_1$, $T_2$, $T_3$ and $T_4$ group were respectively supplemented with MVS at levels of 0, 0, 7, 14 or 21% and with RSM at levels of 0, 15, 10, 5 or 0%. Daily gain of lambs was significantly (p<0.05) higher in $T_1$, $T_2$ and $T_3$ group than that in $T_0$ and $T_4$ group. Feed conversion ratio was greatly reduced in supplemented groups as compared with $T_0$ group. In trial 2, five sheep with rumen cannulae were used in a $5{\times}5$ Latin square design. The experimental treatments were as described in Trial 1, but without concentrate. The intake of AVRS was significantly (p<0.05) lower in $T_4$ group than that in $T_0$ group, and also significantly (p<0.05) lower than those in $T_1$ and $T_2$ group. Little difference among all treatments was found in 48h DM degradability of ABRS, MVS and RSM, and in rumen pH value and microbial protein concentration. Rumen concentrations of individual and total VFA tended to be higher in supplemented groups than those in $T_0$ group.These rusults suggest that supplementation with RSM or RSM plus MVS can effectively improve the performance of lambs, and may fail to influence markedly the rumen digestion of ABRS and rumen environments.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.504-510
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• 2003

Rumen ecology plays an important role in the fermentation process and in providing end-products for ruminants. These studies were carried out to investigate variations in rumen factors namely pH, $NH_3-N$ and microorganisms in cattle and swamp buffaloes. Furthermore, studies on diurnal patterns of rumen fermentation and the effect of rumen digesta transfer from buffalo to cattle was conducted. Based on these studies, diurnal fermentation patterns in both cattle and buffaloes were revealed. It was found that rumen NH3-N was a major limiting factor. Rumen digesta transfer from buffalo to cattle from buffalo to cattle was achievable. Monitoring rumen digesta for 14d after transfer showed an improved rumen ecology in cattle as compared to that of original cattle and buffalo. It is probable that buffalo rumen digesta could be transferred. However, further research should be undertaken in these regards in order to improve rumen ecology especially for buffalo-based rumen.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.92-102
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• 2019

Objective: To investigate changes in rumen fermentation characteristics and bacterial community by a sudden change to a high concentrate diet (HC) in Korean domestic ruminants. Methods: Major Korean domestic ruminants (each of four Hanwoo cows; $545.5{\pm}33.6kg$, Holstein cows; $516.3{\pm}42.7kg$, and Korean native goats; $19.1{\pm}1.4kg$) were used in this experiment. They were housed individually and were fed ad libitum with a same TMR (800 g/kg timothy hay and 200 g/kg concentrate mix) twice daily. After two-week feeding, only the concentrate mix was offered for one week in order to induce rapid rumen acidosis. The rumen fluid was collected from each animals twice (on week 2 and week 3) at 2 h after morning feeding using an oral stomach tube. Each collected rumen fluid was analyzed for pH, volatile fatty acid (VFA), and $NH_3-N$. In addition, differences in microbial community among ruminant species and between normal and an acidosis condition were assessed using two culture-independent 16S polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based techniques (terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism and quantitative real-time PCR). Results: The HC decreased ruminal pH and altered relative concentrations of ruminal VFA (p<0.01). Total VFA concentration increased in Holstein cows only (p<0.01). Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism and real-time quantitative PCR analysis using culture-independent 16S PCR-based techniques, revealed rumen bacterial diversity differed by species but not by HC (p<0.01); bacterial diversity was higher in Korean native goats than that in Holstein cows. HC changed the relative populations of rumen bacterial species. Specifically, the abundance of Fibrobacter succinogenes was decreased while Lactobacillus spp. and Megasphaera elsdenii were increased (p<0.01). Conclusion: The HC altered the relative populations, but not diversity, of the ruminal bacterial community, which differed by ruminant species.