Mapping Pectic-Polysaccharide Epitopes in Cell Walls of Forage Chicory () Leaves.

The cell walls of forage chicory () leaves are known to contain high proportions of pectic polysaccharides. However, little is known about the distribution of pectic polysaacharides among walls of different cell types/tissues and within walls. In this study, immunolabelling with four monoclonal antibodies was used to map the distribution of pectic polysaccharides in the cell walls of the laminae and midribs of these leaves.

Sheep Rumen Fermentation Characteristics Affected by Feeding Frequency and Feeding Level When Fed Fresh Forage.

Feeding frequency and feeding level are two important factors affecting rumen fermentation characteristics, but few studies on these have been conducted on fresh forage. Eight rumen-fistulated sheep were fed either fresh chicory or perennial ryegrass hourly in the first period (d 14 to 21) of the experiment and twice-daily in the second period (d 22 to 27) at 1.3 or 2.

Methanogen community structure in the rumens of farmed sheep, cattle and red deer fed different diets.

Development of inhibitors and vaccines that mitigate rumen-derived methane by targeting methanogens relies on knowledge of the methanogens present. We investigated the composition of archaeal communities in the rumens of farmed sheep (Ovis aries), cattle (Bos taurus) and red deer (Cervus elaphus) using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) to generate fingerprints of archaeal 16S rRNA genes. The total archaeal communities were relatively constant across species and diets, and were less variable and less diverse than bacterial communities.

The effects of tannin-rich plants on parasitic nematodes in ruminants.

Apart from the obvious role of plants in herbivore nutrition, they are also a rich source of bioactive products that can operate either to the benefit or the detriment of grazing animals. Here, we review the available evidence for the potential beneficial effects that plant-derived bioactive substances can have on gastrointestinal parasites. Tannin-rich plants have attracted most attention for their effect on internal nematodes in ruminants.

Effect of intake on whole body plasma amino acid kinetics in sheep.

While both the quantity and quality of food ingested are potent regulators of whole body protein metabolism in ruminants, little data are available on responses across a wide range of intakes. The current study examined the responses in whole body protein flux (PrF) to such intake changes and compared these with the responses across the hind-quarters (in a companion study). Six growing sheep (6-8 months, 30-35 kg) received each of four intakes of dried grass pellets (0.