A comparison of the rumen fermentation in european and zebu cattle

Abstract

1. Statistics of several measured parameters are reported. They show that fermentation rates of rumen contents from zebu and European-type cattle in East Africa differ due to time of feeding, to individual animals, and to differences between zebu and grade.2. The fermentation products were determined as acid, CO2and methane. The proportion of methane showed an inverse correlation with the rate of fermentation.3. The mean fermentation rate showed a trend in the direction expected from the weight gains of the animals.