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Use of Real-Time PCR Technique in Studying Rumen Cellulolytic Bacteria Population as Affected by Level of Roughage in Swamp Buffalo

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Abstract

A real-time polymerase chain reaction approach was used in this study to determine the population of major ruminal bacterial species (Fibrobacter succinogenes, Ruminococcus albus, and Ruminococcus flavefaciens) in digesta and rumen fluid of swamp buffalo (Bubalus bubalis). Four rumen-fistulated, male swamp buffalo were randomly assigned according to a 4 × 4 Latin square design to evaluate the effect of the urea-treated rice straw (roughage source)-to-concentrate ratio on cellulolytic bacterial distribution. Animals were fed roughage-to-concentrate (R:C) ratios of 100:0, 75:25, 50:50, and 25:75, respectively. At the end of each period, rumen fluid and digesta were collected at 0 h and 4 h post-morning-feeding. It was found that feeding urea-treated rice straw solely increased these three cellulolytic bacteria numbers up to 2.65 × 109 and 3.54 × 109 copies per milliliter for F. succinogenes, 5.10 × 107 and 7.40 × 107 copies per millilter for R. Flavefaciens, and 4.00 × 106 and 6.00 × 106 copies per milliliter for R. albus in rumen fluid and digesta, respectively. The distribution of the three cellulolytic bacteria species in digesta were highest at 3.21 × 109, 4.55 × 107, and 4.56 × 106 copies per milliliter for F. succinogenes, R. flavefaciens, and R. albus, respectively. Moreover, at 4 h post-morning-feeding, the populations of the three cellulolytic bacteria were higher than found at 0 h post-morning-feeding. It is most notable that F. succinogenes were the highest in population in the rumen of swamp buffalo and cellulolytic bacteria mostly adhered to feed digesta in the rumen.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to express sincere thanks to the Tropical Feed Resources Research and Development Center (TROFREC), Khon Kaen University, Thailand and to the Thailand Research Fund (TRF) through the Royal Golden Jubilee Ph.D. Program for providing financial support of research and research facilities and experimental animals. Laboratory equipment provided by the Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Khon Kaen University, Thailand was greatly appreciated.

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Correspondence to Metha Wanapat.

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Wanapat, M., Cherdthong, A. Use of Real-Time PCR Technique in Studying Rumen Cellulolytic Bacteria Population as Affected by Level of Roughage in Swamp Buffalo. Curr Microbiol 58, 294–299 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-008-9322-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-008-9322-6

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