Changes in the rumen metabolism of sheep given increasing amounts of linseed oil in their diet

Abstract

1. Linseed oil was incorporated gradually into the diet of four sheep until the animals received 90 g additional fat/d. Attempts were made to measure changes in concentration of substances and rates of synthesis in the rumen directly, and by incubation of rumen contents in vitro (zero-time technique).2. The high-fat diet increased the dilution rate and the volume of rumen contents and decreased the synthesis of diaminopimelic acid in the rumen. The number of protozoa decreased and the number of bacteria increased in the rumen of animals receiving the high-fat diet.3. The concentration of volatile fatty acids (VFA) in the rumen decreased for sheep given the high-fat diet, but the capacity of rumen contents to produce VFA in vitro increased.4. The incorporation of radioactivity from [14C]acetate into lipids during incubation of rumen contents in vitro increased with the amount of linseed oil in the diet. The greatest proportional increase was with the bacterial fraction of rumen contents.5. In the group of four animals used, one animal showed consistent differences in the magnitude of the measured variables. This animal appeared to have a smaller rumen, a lower dilution rate and larger concentrations of some substances in the rumen. A higher proportion of fatty acids appeared to be synthesized by the micro-organisms from this animal.