Rumen Microbial Biomass Synthesis and Its Importance in Ruminant Production

Abstract

Quantification of rumen microbial biomass synthesis assumes significance as rumen fermentation of feed organic matter and microbial biomass synthesis meet 70-85% of energy and 70-100% of protein needs of ruminants which necessitates understanding the feed factors influencing higher microbial biomass in the rumen. Determination of feed factors affecting microbial biomass synthesis in vivo is too expensive. Hence, the rumen in vitro gas production technique used for feed energy evaluation in ruminant feedstuffs was adopted to assess microbial biomass production potential of feedstuffs based on the concept of partitioning of fermented organic matter between microbial biomass and fermentation waste products. Diets formulated with differing in microbial biomass synthesis termed as partitioning factor (PF) and tested them for their efficiency of microbial biomass synthesis in vitro and assessed the same in vivo on feed intake, nutrient digestibility, nitrogen balance, purine excretion in urine and production performance in growing and lactating animals is compiled in this review.