The Microflora of the Rumen of the Young Calf: Ii. Source, Nature and Development

Abstract

SUMMARY Twelve calves of different sex and breed divided into four groups were used in the experiments. Each group received different rearing and diet treatment. Three hundred and nine samples of rumen contents were obtained by means of a stomach tube during the period from birth to three months of age. Streptococci, lactobacilli and coli‐aerogenes organisms were isolated and studied, and isolates were also made from various elements of the calves’ environment. Rapid development of the rumen flora occurred immediately after birth of the animals. During the first week of life, streptococci and coli‐aerogenes organisms predominated, whereas no lactobacilli were isolated from calves on any of the treatments. The coliaerogenes count (107‐108/g wet weight) was higher than in the adult rumen, but dropped to its normal level during the succeeding two weeks. The streptococcus and lactobacillus counts varied according to treatment. Streptococcus bovis was the predominating streptococcal species, except during the first week of life, when Strep. faecium predominated and Strep. bovis amounted to only 28·6% of the total streptococcal isolates. The variation in physiological characteristics within the Strep. bovis strains was greater than normally found within strains from adult cattle. Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. plantarum and a group of strains which resembled L. brevis predominated among the lactobacilli. Most of the coli‐aerogenes organisms were Escherichia coli, faecal type I. The diet was found to influence the proportion of streptococci and lactobacilli in the rumen, whereas the incidence of various species of the two groups of bacteria, particularly the streptococci, was associated with the age of the animals. The microflora of the environment influenced the rumen flora only during its early development, soon after birth of the calves.

Colonization of microorganisms in the rumen of young calves.

“…(1958), and of Ziolecki and Briggs (1961) (2,16). While, viable counts of streptococci and lactobacilli, enumerated by using BL agar medium, were extremely higher than those enumerated by using TATAC and a modified LBS agar media (Table 1).…”

“…Studies on the development of rumen microbial populations in young calves have been carried out by a few workers (2,5,16). However, since information obtained on these studies so far is limited, it is necessary to clarify the role and importance of various kinds of microorganisms in the development of the rumen function.…”

Effect of the Rearing System on the Establishment of Different Functional Groups of Microorganism in the Rumen of Kid Goats / Uticaj Sistema Uzgoja Na Uspostavljanje Različitih Funkcionalnih Grupa Mikroorganizama U Buragu Jaradi

“…The high proportion of easily fermentable carbohydrates in the rumen starter (331 g kg -1 starch on a dry matter basis) surely allowed the proliferation of a wide variety of rumen bacteria [5]. Furthermore, it has been reported that the income of small amounts of milk into the rumen can allow the growth of some facultative anaerobic bacteria such as Lactobacillus spp., which have been described as one of the main bacterial species in the rumen of suckling calves [11,40]. The low pH values recorded at 21 and 30 days of age are compatible with the proliferation of this type of bacteria [11].…”

Effect of forage addition to the diet on rumen development in calves

“…Concentrate feeds promote a lower rumen pH (5.5) than forage (6.8) (Ziolecki and Briggs, 1961). Cellulolytic bacteria, such as Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens, Bacteroides succinogenes, Ruminococcus albus, and Ruminococcus flavefaciens, are extremely sensitive to changes in pH.…”

“…The rumen environment is rapidly colonized by microflora after birth (Ziolecki and Briggs, 1961). Populations of aerobic bacteria are first to colonize.…”