Effect of diet on amino and nucleic acids of rumen bacteria and protozoa

Amino acid composition and nucleic acid content of pure cultures of rumen bacteria (17 species) were analyzed. Amino acid composition between gram-positive and -negative organisms was not different. The total nitrogen content of gram-negative bacteria (10.8%) was significantly higher than gram-positive organisms (9.9%). Deoxyribonucleic acid-nitrogen: total nitrogen (mg/g) differed between gram-positive (8.8) and gram-negative (18.9) bacteria, but there was no significant difference in ratio of ribonucleic acid-nitrogen to total nitrogen. In a second experiment six rumen-fistulated cattle were fed either a high roughage (85% alfalfa hay plus 15% concentrate) or high concentrate diet (15% alfalfa hay and 85% concentrate). Cattle were adapted 14 days and rumen contents sampled on 3 consecutive days. Nitrogen content was higher in protozoa from cattle fed low concentrate (8.4%) than in protozoa from cattle fed high concentrate (7.9%) but was similar in bacteria for both diets. Deoxyribonucleic acid nitrogen: total nitrogen (mg/g in bacteria decreased from 27.2 in cattle fed the low concentrate diet to 20.9 in those fed the high concentrate diet. Differences between sampling days were significant for both bacteria and protozoa for ratio of deoxyribonucleic acid-nitrogen to total nitrogen but were significant only in protozoa for ratio of ribonucleic acid nitrogen to total nitrogen. Ribonucleic acid may serve as a marker for estimating microbial production in the rumen if sources of variation are recognized and corrected adequately.

Effect of lasalocid, monensin or thiopeptin on lactic acidosis in cattle

Lasalocid, monensin or thiopeptin was administered intraruminally each at .33, .65 or 1.3 mg/kg body weight and evaluated for its effectiveness in preventing experimentally induced lactic acidosis in cattle. Four rumen-fistulated cattle were used for each dosage level and the design was a 4 x 4 Latin square with each animal receiving lasalocid, monensin, thiopeptin or no antibiotic. Acidosis was induced by intraruminal administration of glucose (12.5 g/kg body weight). Control cattle exhibited the typical drop in rumen pH and concurrent increases in L(+) and D(-) lactate concentrations commonly observed in cases of lactic acidosis. Alkali reserves were depleted in the control cattle as evidenced by a decrease in blood bicarbonate and a negative shift in base excess. In all three trials, cattle given lasalocid had higher rumen pH and lower lactate concentrations than did control cattle or cattle given monensin or thiopeptin. Cattle given monensin had a significantly higher rumen pH and a lower lactate concentration than the controls only at the .65 and 1.3 mg/kg body weight dosages, whereas thiopeptin was effective only at the 1.3-mg dosage. Concentrations of total VFA in rumen fluid decreased in the controls but remained unchanged in cattle given antibiotics. A significant reduction in the molar proportion of acetate and an increase in the molar proportion of propionate were observed in the rumen fluid of the cattle given antibiotics. Colony counts of Streptococcus bovis and Lactobacillus were significantly reduced in rumen fluid of cattle given 1.3 mg antibiotic/kg body weight. Counts of lactate-utilizing bacteria increased in both control cattle and cattle given antibiotics. Cattle given antibiotics showed no evidence of lacticacidemia, hemoconcentration or change in acid-base balance.

Effect of lasalocid or monensin on lactate production from in vitro rumen fermentation of various carbohydrates

Lasalocid and monensin effectively reduced the lactate produced during in vitro fermentation of various sugars and ground grains with rumen fluid from either hay- or grain-fed cattle. The minimum effective dose was 6 micrograms/ml. Both lasalocid and monensin at 6 micrograms/ml reduced the fermentation rate of glucose, fructose, galactose, sucrose, lactate, mannose, ground corn, ground sorghum, and ground wheat, and raised the pH and substantially lowered lactate concentration compared with controls. Although both antibiotics decreased total lactate production, the proportion of D(-) lactate to L(+) lactate increased. Apparently both antibiotics were less inhibitory to the formation of D(-) than to L(+) lactate isomer. Lasalocid was more effective than monensin in inhibiting lactate production except when rumen fluid from grain-fed cattle was used in fermentation.

Ammonia toxicity in cattle. V. Ammonia concentration of lymph and portal, carotid and jugular blood after the ingestion of urea

Four rumen-fistulated Holstein steers were fitted with cannulas for the collection of portal, jugular and carotid blood. In addition, the thoracic duct of one steer was cannulated for the collection of lymph. Steers were given .125, .25 or .5 g urea/kg body weight 16 hr after a previous feeding. Within 5 min after the administration of the .5-g dose, rumen ammonia increased from 9.7 to 32.0 mg/100 ml, rumen pH from 6.47 to 7.87; portal blood ammonia from 1.02 to 8.01 mg/100 ml, carotid blood ammonia from .18 to 1.17 mg/100 ml and jugular blood ammonia from .13 to .36 mg/100 ml. Lymph ammonia increased from .22 to .32 mg/100 ml within 15 minutes. The .125- and .25-g doses or urea produced proportionate changes. In a second experiment, three Jersey cows were given .5 g urea/kg body weight, and the rates at which urea appeared in carotid and jugular blood were determined. Only small amounts of urea appeared in carotid and jugular blood during the first 5 min after dosing, but the concentrations then increased slowly but progressively. We concluded that because carotid blood ammonia concentration increased so rapidly after dosing with urea, ammonia must leak past the liver, and it is therefore unlikely, that there is a liver threshold for ammonia which must be exceeded before ammonia will reach the carotid artery. The marked difference in ammonia concentrations in carotid and jugular blood suggests that the brain takes up ammonia rapidly. While some ammonia is absorbed via the lymph, and thus bypasses the liver, the lymph does not appear to be a major contributor of ammonia to carotid blood.

Prevention of lactic acidosis in cattle by lasalocid or monensin

Intraruminal administration of lasalocid or monensin (1.3 mg/kg body weight) effectively prevented in glucose- or corn-induced lactic acidosis in cattle. Administering the antibiotics for 7 days before experimentally inducing acidosis with corn (27.5 g/kg body weight), effectively prevented acidosis, while 2 days' were sufficient to prevent glucose-induced acidosis (12.5 g/kg body weight). The different responses observed in the two trials probably stemmed from the difference in amounts of carbohydrate used to induce acidosis. Antibiotic-treated cattle had higher rumen pH values and lower L(+) and D(-) lactate concentrations that control cattle that received no antibiotics. Ruminal VFA in control cattle decreased, while total VFA and the molar proportion of propionate increased in antibiotic-treated cattle after grain engorgement. Control cattle exhibited classic signs of acidosis, such as lowered blood pH; increased blood lactate, particularly D(-) isomer; hemoconcentration, and depleted alkali reserve with a pronounced based deficit. Antibiotic-treated cattle exhibited no signs of systemic acidosis.

Effects of lasalocid or monensin on lactate-producing or -using rumen bacteria

Lasalocid or monensin inhibited most of the lactate-producing rumen bacteria (Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens, Eubacterium cellulosolvens, E. ruminantium, Lachnospira multiparus, Lactobacillus ruminis, L. vitulinus, Ruminococcus albus, R. flavefaciens, Streptococcus bovis). Minimum inhibitory concentrations ranged from .38 to 3.0 micrograms/ml. Among the lactate producers, those that produce succinate as a major end product (Bacteroides, Selenomonas, Succinimonas, Succinivibrio) were not inhibited by lasalocid or monensin. Also, none of the major lactate fermenters (Anaerovibrio, Megasphaera, Selenomonas) was inhibited by lasalocid or monensin. Veillonella alcalescens was inhibited by 24 micrograms/ml of lasalocid but was resistant to monensin. Hence, the reported increase in propionate in lasalocid- or monensin-fed cattle may result from selection for succinate producers and lactate fermenters. Lasalocid and monensin appeared to inhibit selectively the production of L(+), but not D(-) lactic acid. The inhibition of major lactate-producing bacteria (Streptococcus and Lactobacillus) suggests that lasalocid or monensin may be used to prevent lactic acidosis in ruminants.

Comparative lethal effects on mice of ruminal fluid from cattle fed hay or grain

Strained ruminal fluid from cattle fed hay or grain was lethal to mice when injected intraperitoneally, but the fluid from grain-fed cattle was approximately 3.7 times more toxic than that from hay-fed cattle. The lethal factor(s) was not resistant to heat, was nondialyzable, was retained on Seitz and membrane filters, and was associated with the bacterial fraction of ruminal fluid. We concluded that death of the mice resulted from infection produced by facultative bacteria normally in ruminal fluid. Ruminal fluid from grain-fed cattle contained a greater number of facultative bacteria than did that from hay-fed cattle.

Characterization of endotoxin from the rumen bacterium Megasphaera elsdenii

Phenol-water extraction of Megasphaera elsdenii, a predominant gram-negative coccus in rumens of cattle fed high-grain diets, yielded material that exhibited typical characteristics of endotoxin. The extract was lethal to mice and to chicken embryos, caused biphasic fever in rabbits, leukopenia in mice, and local and generalized Shwartzman reactions; and induced tolerance to the lethal effect of the endotoxin in mice. The material contained carbohydrate, protein, lipid, phosphorus, and 2-keto-3-deoxyoctonate, but no nucleic acid. The beta-hydroxymyristic acid was absent. Results imply that M elsdenii endotoxin has many biological and chemical characteristics common to enterobacterial endotoxin. However, the median lethal doses in mice and in chicken embryos, and minimal dose required to elicit a local Shwartzman reaction, indicate that M elsdenii endotoxin's potency is low, which may explain why the large gram-negative bacterial population in the rumen of cattle is generally innocuous.

Endotoxic activity of cell-free rumen fluid from cattle fed hay or grain

The cell-free rumen fluid from cattle fed hay or grain exhibited the following biological characteristics which strongly suggest the presence of endotoxin or a toxic principle similar to endotoxin of gram-negative bacteria: proved lethal to mice when injected with actinomycin D; proved extremely lethal to chick embryo; induced biphasic pyogenic response in rabbits; enhanced susceptibility to bacterial infection in mice; evoked positive epinephrine skin reaction in rabbits and phenol-water or aqueous ether proved lethal to mice and chick embryos. A quantitative difference in concentrations of endotoxin was observed on LD50 in mice and chick embryos and response to the epinephrine skin test in rabbits. Cell-free rumen fluid of grain-fed cattle contained at least twice as much endotoxin as that of hay-fed cattle. Endotoxin in cell-free rumen fluid and in higher concentration in cattle fed grain than in those fed hay support the hypothesis that rumen bacterial endotoxins may participate in the pathogenesis of diseases associated with high grain feeding such as lactic acidosis and the sudden-death syndrome.