Abstract:
Mixed cultures of anaerobic micro-organisms were derived from feral goat rumen fluid (FGRF) using a laboratory fermentor to selectively culture microbes actively degrading mulga, and were evaluated as rumen inocula in digestion and liveweight studies with mulga-fed sheep. When placed in the rumen of sheep, FGRF enhances mulga digestion; however, limited supplies of feral goats, the labour involved in locating and mustering goats, and likely variations in the microbial composition of FGRF between animals and localities make the production of an in vitro cultured inoculum a desirable alternative to enable widespread adoption. The cultured inoculum significantly (