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Formation of Octadecadienoic Acid by Rumen Liquor of Calves, Cows and Sheep In Vitro

The Volcani Institute of Agricultural Research, Bet Dagan
and Faculty of Agriculture, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel

ABSTRACT

The effect of incubation on the fatty acid composition of rumen liquor was studied in samples taken from calves, cows, and sheep.

Rumen fluid from calves 3 to 5 weeks old showed an increase in octadecadienoic acid on incubation at the expense mainly of 18:0 and 18:1. There was no net synthesis of total fatty acids during incubation. Calves fed on a diet of milk only continued to exhibit 18:2 synthesizing activity beyond five weeks, but in calves given dry feed an opposite pattern, indicating hydrogenating activity, began to appear at about five weeks. Centrifugation of rumen liquor at 6,500 g into a protozoa-rich sediment and a protozoa-free supernatant revealed that the former is associated with fatty acid hydrogenating activity and the latter with 18:2 formation.

Rumen liquor from older calves, cows, and sheep exhibited the usual hydrogenating activity. However, as in the case of younger calves, the 6,500-g supernatant showed the formation of octadecadienoic acid and a decrease in 18: 0 + 18:1 upon incubation whereas the protozoa-rich sediment had intensive hydrogenating activity.