Comparative in vitro rumen fungal degradation and gas production of cellulosic feeds in cattle and buffalo

Abstract

Ruminal degradations (in vitro) of DM and fibrous components in 9 substrates, besides gas production profile by anaerobic fungi which were compared in cattle and buffalo were influenced (P<0.01) by cell wall structural carbohydrates
and varied between cattle and buffalo. Cattle excelled (P<0.01) buffalo fungi in fermenting DM of substrates, which
corroborated the pattern on ruminal gas production volume. The overall NDF disappearances among feedstuffs differed
(P<0.01) but remained alike owing to the source of rumen fungi. Least NDF and ADF degradations from paddy straw,
pearlmillet slover and sugarcane bagasse corresponded to rumen gas production volumes. However, fibrous moieties of
hays were maximally degraded by both ruminant fungi, though, magnitude of ADF disappearances (96 hr relative to 12
hr) exceeded (P<0.01) in buffalo than cattle for berseem and oat hay. The selective ruminant species (superiority of cattle
than buffalo) response in degrading (P<0.01) cellulose from only 4 substrates was evidently discerned. These differential
rumen fungi degradations may sequentially pinpoint and reflect in feed dry matter consumption and rumen fill.