title: Establishment of hydrogen-utilizing bacteria in the rumen of the newborn lamb.
abstract: The development of hydrogenotrophic bacteria in the rumen of lambs was investigated by culture and labeling experiments. 14CO2 and 13CO2 incorporation by the rumen microflora of a 24-h-old lamb showed that while there was no labeled methane, double-labeled acetate was formed indicating the presence of hydrogen-dependent acetogenesis. In vitro counts from rumen fluid of 20-h-old lambs confirmed an extensive colonization of acetogenic bacteria while methanogens were absent. Methanogens appeared in the rumen of 30-h-old lambs, and as they developed there was a proportional decrease in the numbers of acetogens, indicating a competition for hydrogen between these two groups. Hydrogen-utilizing sulfate-reducing bacteria, which were established by the 3rd day after birth, did not seem to be affected by this competition.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Microbiologie-INRA, CR de Clermont-Ferrand-Theix, Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Morvan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dore
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rieu-Lesme
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Foucat
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fonty
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gouet
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000382:microbiology*; D019605:Euryarchaeota / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D012417:Rumen / Q000382:microbiology*; D012756:Sheep / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D006859:Hydrogen