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Technique for the Continuous in Vitro Culture of Equine Cecal Microorganisms¹

University of Kentucky³, Lexington 40546

Abstract

Cecal fluid from fistulated horses was incubated anaerobically in 1-liter continuous culture fermenters in an attempt to maintain a representative cecal fermentation. Fermenters were maintained at 39 C, stirred continuously and McDougall's buffer added continuously to provide 910 ml/24 h (.91 turnover rate). Ten grams of dry substrate was added at 12-h intervals. Dried cecal contents ground through a 2-mm screen supported stable fermentation after 3 d. Total volatile fatty acids (VFA) stabilized at 50 rnraol, pH at 6.5 to 6.9, oxidation-reduction potential (E'o) at –305 to –355 mv, ammonia at 3 to 13 mg/dl and crude protein at 40 mg/dl for up, to 10 d. Acetate to propionate ratios remained slightly below ranges normally found in equine cecal fluid. Adding a 10:1 cellulose:starch substrate mix with crude protein equal to cecal contents (17%) from urea produced similar E'o and VFA values, higher (P<.01) crude protein, ammonia and pH values, and lower acetate:propionate ratio.

¹ The investigation reported in this paper (No. 81-5-93) is in connection with a project of the Kentucky Agr. Exp. Sta. and is published with approval of the Director.

² Present Address: Dept. of Agr. Sci., Tuskegee Institute, Tuskegee, AL 36088.

³ Dept. of Anim. Sci.