Rumen microbial population dynamics during adaptation to a high-grain diet.

ABSTRACT: High-grain adaptation programs are widely used with feedlot cattle to balance enhanced growth performance against the risk of acidosis. This adaptation to a high-grain diet from a high-forage diet is known to change the rumen microbial population structure and help establish a stable microbial population within the rumen. Therefore, to evaluate bacterial population dynamics during adaptation to a high-grain diet, 4 ruminally cannulated beef steers were adapted to a high-grain diet using a step-up diet regimen containing grain and hay at ratios of 20:80, 40:60, 60:40, and 80:20. The rumen bacterial populations were evaluated at each stage of the step-up diet after 1 week of adaptation, before the steers were transitioned to the next stage of the diet, using terminal restriction fragment len

SUBMITTER: Fernando SC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2976194 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature