title: Effects of a bacterial probiotic on ruminal pH and volatile fatty acids during subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) in cattle.
abstract: Effects of a bacterial probiotic (BP) on ruminal fermentation and plasma metabolites were evaluated in four Holstein cattle (body weight, 645 ± 62 kg; mean ± SD) with induced subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA). SARA was induced by feeding a SARA-inducing diet, and thereafter, 20, 50 or 100 g per head of a commercial BP was administered for 7 consecutive days during the morning feeding. Cattle without BP served as the control. The 24-hr mean ruminal pH in the control was lower, whereas those in the BP groups administered 20 or 50 g were significantly higher compared to the control from days 2 to 7. Circadian patterns of the 1-hr mean ruminal pH were identical (6.4-6.8) among all cattle receiving BP. Although the mean minimum pH in the control on day -7 and day 0 was <5.8, the pH in the treatment groups on day 7 was >5.8 and significantly higher than that of the control group ( >5.2). Ruminal volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations were not affected by BP treatment; however, the BP groups had lower lactic acid levels compared with the control group at 20:00 on day 7. Additionally, non-esterified fatty acid levels decreased from 8:00 to 20:00 in all BP groups on day 7. These results suggest that administration of 20 to 50 g of a multi-strain BP for 7 days might improve the low pH and high lactic acid level of the ruminal fluid in SARA cattle.
authors.affiliation: Cooperative Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate University, Morioka, Iwate 020-8550, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Goto
authors.forename: Abdul Qadir
authors.initials: AQ
authors.lastname: Qadis
authors.forename: Yo-Han
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ikuta
authors.forename: Toshihiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ichijo
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sato
mesh_terms: D000138:Acidosis / Q000097:blood / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D000641:Ammonia / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D019936:Probiotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012417:Rumen / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile; D019344:Lactic Acid; D000641:Ammonia