Some Nutritional Requirements of Bovine Rumen Bacteria

Abstract

The nutritional requirements of bovine rumen bacteria were studied with emphasis upon the role of rumen fluid as an essential factor in the growth of these organisms. No materials were found possessing the same stimulatory effect for the over-all rumen population as that of rumen fluid. Essential factors in rumen fluid are not found to any extent in rich N materials commonly used for the growth of nutritionally fastidious bacteria. Many of these substances were inhibitory. Certain complex N sources stimulate the growth of a very few types of rumen bacteria, but appear to do so, unfortunately, at the expense of the remainder of the rumen population. Weakly active materials were extracted from rumen fluid by use of adsorption-elution methods. These substances also are selective. Rumen fluid is considered to be a source of both N and growth factors when used in media for the cultivation of rumen bacteria.