The effect of oxygen on fermentation of sucrose by rumen micro-organisms in vitro

Abstract

1. The effect of oxygen on the fermentation of sucrose by mixed rumen micro-organisms in vitro was studied by adding oxygen to the gas phase in three ways: at the beginning of incubation, at two hourly intervals during incubation and continuously.2. The additions of oxygen had no measurable effect on the utilization of sucrose or on the production of carbon dioxide, steam-volatile acids and particulate organic matter by the micro-organisms. The addition of oxygen at the beginning of incubation inhibited methane production and increased the accumulation of hydrogen. Similar but much less pronounced changes occurred when the oxygen was infused continuously.3. In all the experiments there was a net uptake of oxygen by micro-organisms. When large amounts of oxygen were present in the gas phase the rates of uptake were proportional to these amounts. When small amounts of oxygen were added, the rates of uptake were independent of the amount added and had a value of approximately 5 ml/h when 100 ml of strained rumen contents were incubated.