The Effect of Chlortetracycline Feeding on In vitro Cellulose Digestion by Rumen Microorganisms

Abstract

Employing the artificial rumen technique, microorganisms from normal cows digested 45% of a purified cellulose (Solka-Floc) as compared to 34% for inocula from cows receiving the antibiotic. When alfalfa hay was the substrate, cellulose digestion was 59% for controls and 45% for cows receiving the antibiotic.