title: Influence of fumaric acid on ruminal parameters and organ weights of growing bulls fed with grass or maize silage.
abstract: The influence of the potential methane reducer, fumaric acid (FA), on ruminal parameters, the rumen wall and organ weights was investigated in a long-term study with growing bulls. In all, 20 bulls were fed with maize or grass silage as roughage, and with concentrate with or without 300 g FA per animal and day during the whole fattening period. After slaughtering, the organs were weighed and blood serum was analysed for glucose, β-hydroxybutyric acid (BHB) and non-esterified fatty acid concentration. The ruminal fluid was analysed for short-chain fatty acids, ammonia-N and the microbial community via single strand conformation polymorphism analysis. The rumen wall was examined histopathologically and results were graded as 'no visible lesions', 'few inflammatory infiltrates', 'some inflammatory infiltrates' or 'several inflammatory infiltrates'. In addition, the dimensions of the rumen villi were measured. The FA supplementation decreased the serum BHB concentration and the butyric acid concentration in the ruminal fluid. The microbial community in the ruminal fluid was not influenced by FA. An interaction between FA and silage type was observed for the inflammation centres counted in the villous area of rumen papillae. This interaction was also observed in the length and surface of the rumen villi. Rumen villi results show that the influence of FA depends on the roughage used in the diet.
authors.affiliation: 1Institute of Animal Nutrition,Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute (FLI),Federal Research Institute for Animal Health,Bundesallee 50,38116 Braunschweig,Germany.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Remling
authors.affiliation: 2Institute for Physiology,University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover,Bischofsholer Damm 15,30559 Hannover,Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Riede
authors.affiliation: 1Institute of Animal Nutrition,Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute (FLI),Federal Research Institute for Animal Health,Bundesallee 50,38116 Braunschweig,Germany.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.affiliation: 3Department of Pathology,University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover,Bünteweg 17,30559 Hannover,Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Beineke
authors.affiliation: 2Institute for Physiology,University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover,Bischofsholer Damm 15,30559 Hannover,Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Breves
authors.affiliation: 1Institute of Animal Nutrition,Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute (FLI),Federal Research Institute for Animal Health,Bundesallee 50,38116 Braunschweig,Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Flachowsky
authors.affiliation: 1Institute of Animal Nutrition,Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute (FLI),Federal Research Institute for Animal Health,Bundesallee 50,38116 Braunschweig,Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dänicke
mesh_terms: D020155:3-Hydroxybutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D002523:Edible Grain; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile / Q000378:metabolism; D005650:Fumarates / Q000378:metabolism*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D008697:Methane / Q000378:metabolism*; D009929:Organ Size; D006109:Poaceae; D012417:Rumen / Q000737:chemistry; D012820:Silage / Q000032:analysis*; D003313:Zea mays
chemical_list: D004043:Dietary Fiber; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile; D005650:Fumarates; C032005:fumaric acid; D008697:Methane; D020155:3-Hydroxybutyric Acid
keywords: fumaric acid; growing bulls; organ weights; ruminal parameters; silage