An in vivo study of ruminal micro-organisms influencing lactate turnover and its contribution to volatile fatty acid production

• Published in: The Journal of agricultural science 1984-08, Vol.103 (1), p.37-51
• Main Authors: Mackie, R. I., Gilchrist, Frances M. C., Heath, Suzette
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Autoecology; Biological and medical sciences; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
• ISSN: 0021-8596; 1469-5146
• DOI: 10.1017/S0021859600043306

The ruminal metabolism of lactic acid was investigated in vivo under normal feeding conditions in four sheep each adapted to one of the following diets: high-concentrate, intermediate, high-roughage containing 65, 43 or 10% maize meal and molasses respectively, or lucerne hay. A continuous basal turnover of ruminal lactate (0·01–0·02 mmol/1/min) was found which increased 10- to 40-fold immediately after feeding when production exceeded utilization and lactate accumulated in the rumen. This was followed by an increase in utilization rate which removed the accumulated lactate. Both lactate and glucose turnover were related to the amount of readily fermentable carbohydrate in the diet. Approximately 8, 6·5, 5 and 2·5% of the total VFA was formed through lactate on the high-concentrate, intermediate, high-roughage and lucerne hay diets respectively. Rumen microbial counts of total culturable, glucolytic, amylolytic and lactateutilizing bacteria, and of ciliate protozoa were also performed on the four sheep. Numbers of micro-organisms in all groups were highest on the high-concentrate diet and lowest on the two roughage diets. The proportions of the predominant genera from the different metabolic groups of bacteria differed, although in most cases the same organisms were present in the rumen on all diets. The succinate pathway was found to be quantitatively more important in the conversion of lactate to propionate in the rumen. Although the numbers of lactate-utilizing bacteria increased as the amount of RFC in the diet increased, their metabolic activity was actually lower. Reasons for this finding are discussed, together with factors influencing the regulation of lactate production and utilization in the rumen.