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Influence of Ethanol on Rumen Fermentation and Nitrogen Metabolism^1,,

Rutgers—The State University,^,5 New Brunswick, New Jersey

Abstract

Varying levels of ethanol (ml./100 gm. rumen DM) were added to a series of artificial rumina. A 6% increase in digested cellulose observed when 0.012 ml. ethanol was added was attributed to ethanol's serving as a source of readily available energy.

Feeding equicaloric and isonitrogenous diets to fistulated animals resulted in no influence on in vivo pH, redox potential, or total VFA concentration of rumen liquor as a result of ethanol supplementation at the rate of 4.4 ml./lb. DM intake. Molecular concentration of acetic acid was 10% greater in rumen liquor obtained from ethanol-fed animals 4 hr. after feeding. Rumen liquor collected 0 and 4 hr. after feeding and used as inocula in the artificial rumen resulted in no significant differences in cellulose digestion rate or in redox potential and pH due to feeding ethanol.

Supplementation of a semi-purified diet with ethanol (11.4 ml./lb. DM intake) resulted in small nonsignificant increases in nitrogen utilization. Rumen ammonia concentration reached a significantly higher peak on ethanol-fed animals. This was explained as decreased utilization of ammonia for protein synthesis due to the inhibitory action of ethanol on microbial activity since rumen redox potential was slightly lower.

Ethanol may have a role in rumen fermentation, but probably only as an energy source.

¹ Paper of the Journal Series, New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station. Data presented are from a thesis submitted by the senior author in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Ph.D. degree.

² Supported in part by grants-in-aid from Feed Service Corporation, Crete, Nebraska, and U. S. Industrial Chemicals Co., New York.

³ Present address: Department of Dairy Science, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina.

⁴ Present address: Morris Research Laboratories, Topeka, Kansas.

⁵ Department of Animal Sciences.

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