Ecosystem and rumen function can be optimized through increase of dietary
protein and microbe protein flow and rumen balance manipulation. The research was
done to identify changes in rumen ecosystem of sheep which received rumen content of
goat. As much as four head of male fistulated sheep (live weight 25-35 kg) and four male
fistulated goat (live weight 22-35 kg) were used. Animals were placed into individual
cage and were fed 70 % Napier grass and 30 % concentrate; according to 2,5 % of live
weight. Feeding as much as twice a day at 08.00 am dan 2.00 pm. Concentrate consisted
of 60 % wheat pollard, 36 % copra meal, 2 % urea, 1 % salts and 1 % di-calcium
phosphate. This experiment was done three stage as follows: Pre-inoculation, Inoculation
dan Post- inoculation. In Pre-inoculation, the sample of rumen content was taken two
hours before morning feeding and directly observed for pH rumen liquor, ammonia
nitrogen (NH4-N) and total volatile fatty acid (VFA). The cross inoculation (totally
rumen content) was done less than 10 minutes. In post-inoculation, the sample of rumen
content was taken at two hours before morning feeding as long as two days of two weeks
after inoculation. Changes on rumen ecosystem (pH, NH4-N and total VFA) were tested
by using CRD. Result showed that pH rumen was decrease significantly (P<0,05) and
concentration of total VFA (mg/l) was not differ within range of 91,54 – 112,39.
Meanwhile, there was significant difference of the increase of total VFA (Mol/l)
concentration; the highest was recorded at day-14 after inoculation, which was 76,78.
This reflected changes in rumen ecosystem as the result of rumen fermentation by
microbes |