Abstract
Microbial (MO), borage (BO) and evening primrose (EPO) 5% (wt/wt) oils were supplemented to a diet consisting of meadow hay and ground barley (60:40) for six days following a five-day adaptation period in an artificial rumen (Rusitec) inoculated with sheep rumen fluid having an Atype ciliate population. After the adaptation period, the following rumen ciliate genera and species were established: Entodinium spp., Dasytricha ruminantium, Eremoplastron bilobum, Diploplastron affine, Polyplastron multivesiculatum and Isotricha spp. (I. prostoma and I. intestinalis). The total ciliate population as well as the population of Eremoplastron decreased (P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively) in the group supplemented with BO. In contrast, the population of Polyplastron increased (P<0.01) following BO supplementation. The populations of Dasytricha, Eremoplastron, and Isotricha spp. decreased (P<0.01) in the group with EPO supplement, in contrast to the population of Entodinium spp., which increased (P<0.05). MO supplementation decreased the populations of Eremoplastron and Isotricha spp. (P<0.01). None of the oil supplements influenced the population of Diploplastron. The results of this study showed that the examined species of rumen ciliates had no uniform response to the tested oils. Responses strongly depended on the composition of oils and the resultant concentration of the main fatty acid components.
Highlights
The results of this study showed that the examined species of rumen ciliates had no uniform response to the tested oils
Microbial oil (MO), evening primrose oil (EPO) and borage oil (BO) are oils with high polyunsaturated fatty acid contents, especially gamma linolenic acid (C18:3, n-6), which participates in the metabolism of a wide variety of important metabolites regulating critical biological functions
MO, EPO, and BO were supplemented at a rate of 5 % of the diet consisting of meadow hay and ground barley (60:40) for six days following a five-day adaptation period in a rumen simulation technique (Rusitec) inoculated with sheep rumen fluid having an Atype ciliate population
Summary
Microbial oil (MO), evening primrose oil (EPO) and borage oil (BO) are oils with high polyunsaturated fatty acid contents, especially gamma linolenic acid (C18:3, n-6), which participates in the metabolism of a wide variety of important metabolites regulating critical biological functions. Little information was found about the use of these oils in ruminants and none about their effects on protozoa, especially rumen ciliates. Increasing the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids in meat and milk is, a strategy to improve the quality of ruminant meat and dairy products due to their positive action on human health. In contrast to rumen bacteria, the levels of C 18:2 and C 18:3 fatty acids are higher in rumen ciliate protozoa (Viviani, 1970; Emmanuel, 1974; O’Kelly and Spiers, 1990). Enhancing the population of ciliate protozoa may prove to enhance the production of polyunsaturated fatty acids. The aim of this work was to determine the effects of MO, EPO, and BO on the rumen ciliate population in an artificial rumen
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