title: In vitro study and comparison of caecal methanogenesis and fermentation pattern in the brown hare (Lepus europaeus) and domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus).
abstract: The brown hare and the domestic rabbit are mid-sized herbivorous mammals and hindgut fermenters, though their digestive physiologies differ in some traits. The objective of this study was to estimate and compare the caecal microbial activity in hares and rabbits via an analysis of the following end-products of in vitro caecal fermentation: methane, total gas production, short chain fatty acids and ammonia concentration. Hare caecal methanogenesis occurred at a much lower level (0.25 mmol/kg for samples incubated without substrate and 0.22 mmol/kg for samples incubated with substrate) than that of the rabbit (15.49 and 11.73 mmol/kg, respectively) (P<0.001). The impact of the substrate's presence on caecal methanogenesis was not significant, though its presence increased the total gas production during fermentation (P<0.001). Hare caecal microflora produced a lower short chain fatty acids concentration than did rabbit microorganisms (P<0.05). In unincubated hare samples, the short chain fatty acids concentration was 28.4 mmol/kg, whereas in unincubated rabbit samples, the short chain fatty acids concentration was 51.8 mmol/kg. The caecal fermentation pattern of the hare was characterised by higher propionate and isobutyrate molar proportions compared with those observed in rabbit caecum (P<0.01). No significant changes in the ammonia concentration in either rabbit or hare caecum were found. The results obtained indicate some differences in the activity of the microbial populations colonising the hare and rabbit caecum, particularly in regards to methanogenic Archaea.
authors: Department of Biostructure and Animal Physiology, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland.
authors: Dorota
authors: D
authors: Miśta
authors: Department of Biostructure and Animal Physiology, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland.
authors: Bożena
authors: B
authors: Króliczewska
authors: Institute of Animal Science, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors: Milan
authors: M
authors: Marounek
authors: Department of Biostructure and Animal Physiology, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland.
authors: Ewa
authors: E
authors: Pecka
authors: Department of Biostructure and Animal Physiology, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland.
authors: Wojciech
authors: W
authors: Zawadzki
authors: Department of Internal Medicine and Clinic of Diseases of Horses, Dogs and Cats, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland.
authors: Józef
authors: J
authors: Nicpoń
mesh_terms: D000641:Ammonia / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002432:Cecum / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005285:Fermentation / Q000502:physiology*; D034621:Hares; D008697:Methane / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile; D000641:Ammonia; D008697:Methane
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