title: Rumen microbial variation and nutrient utilisation in mithun (Bos frontalis) under different feeding regimes.
abstract: The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of feeding different diets on fermentation, enzyme activities and microbial population in the rumen fluid of mithun (Bos frontalis). In a randomized block design, 20 male mithun (6-8 months of age, 152 ± 12.6 kg body weight) were randomly divided into four experimental groups (n = 5/group) and fed experimental diets ad libitum for 180 days. The diet R1 contained tree foliages (TF), R2 comprised of 50% concentrate mixture (CM) and 50% TF, R3 contained 50% CM and 50% rice straw, and R4 contained 50% CM, 25% TF and 25% rice straw. Rumen liquor was collected at 0 and 180 days of the experiment for estimation of different ruminal parameters and a digestion trial was conducted at the end of the experiment. Rumen fluid was analysed for pH, ammonia nitrogen (NH3 -N), total-N, ruminal enzymes, short chain fatty acid (SCFA) and microbial profile. The relative quantification of ruminal microbes was carried out with real-time PCR using bacteria as the house keeping gene. The dry matter intake, nutrients digestibility, body weight gain, NH3 -N, total-N, carboxymethyl cellulase, avicelase, xylanase, amylase, protease and molar proportion of butyrate were (p < 0.05) higher in mithun fed R2 , R3 and R4 compared to those fed R1 diet. In contrast, increased (p < 0.05) ruminal pH, molar proportion of acetate and, acetate to propionate ratio was recorded in mithun fed only TF than those fed concentrate supplemented diets. Similarly, an increase (p < 0.05) in the population of Fibrobacter succinogenes, Ruminococcus flavefaciens and total bacteria were evident in mithun fed R2 , R3 and R4 compared to those fed R1 . Therefore, it is concluded that TF 25% and/or rice straw 25% along with CM 50% may be fed to the growing mithun for improved rumen ecology, nutrient utilization and thus better performance under stall fed system.
authors.affiliation: Project Directorate on Poultry (ICAR), Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. drbhukyaprakash@gmail.com
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Prakash
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Saha
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Khate
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Agarwal
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Katole
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Haque
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rajkhowa
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis*; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D012417:Rumen / Q000382:microbiology*; D012418:Ruminants / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial