Authors : M. Habib and M.A. Akbar
Abstract: This study was conducted to investigate the effect of protein source (soybean meal, fish meal and leucaena leaf meal) on bacterial population and production of NH -N and VFA in the rumen of cattle. The bacterial counts of the collected rumen liquor were made by the general viable count method (Pour Plating Method) and production of NH -N and VFA was determined by Markham Distillation method. The rumenal bacterial counts were higher for soybean meal (6.70 x 10 mLG ) than for other protein sources. Leucaena leaf gave the lowest bacterial counts (4.62 x 10 mLG ) whereas fish meal showed the intermediate value (5.54 x 10 mLG ). Concentration of NH -N was the highest in animals fed soybean meal followed by those fed leucaena but the lowest in animals fed fishmeal. It was concluded that among the protein sources under study, soybean meal contributed most to the bacterial population growth, ammonia and VFA production compared to those of fish meal and leucaena leaf.Among he other two protein feeds, fishmeal showed better bacterial population and ammonia production than those of leucaena.
M. Habib and M.A. Akbar , 2005. Influence of Protein Source on Bacterial Population and Fermentation Products in the Rumen of Cattle . Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 4: 937-941.