The Effects of Elimination of Fungi on Microbial Population and Fiber Degradation in Sheep Rumen

Abstract

The role of microbes in fiber degradation and the relations among the microbes in sheep rumen were explored by in vivo elimination of fungi. The experiment was conducted on 6 Mongolian sheep with fistulae approximately 1.5 years old (35kg). The sheep were randomly divided into two groups, treatment group (n=3) and control group (n=3). The rumen fluids were collected from the rumen though fistulae. The results showed that the total numbers of bacteria, cellulolytic bacteria and protozoa in the rumen were significantly increased (P<0.05) after fungus elimination. Among the three main cellulolytic bacteria, the number of R.flavefaciens and F.succinogenes increased significant (P<0.05). Elimination of fungi significantly reduced the degradation of DM, NDF and ADF, and the activity of CMCase in sheep rumen (P<0.05). The number of total rumen bacteria and fungi detected by real-time PCR were about 10 times and 1,000 times higher than that of the traditional anaerobic culture method, suggesting that real-time PCR is superior to the traditional roller tube culture method.