Effects of laidlomycin propionate and monensin on the in vitro mixed ruminal microorganism fermentation

The objective of this study was to compare the effects of laidlomycin propionate and monensin on the in vitro fermentation of ground corn, Trypticase, or alfalfa hay by mixed ruminal microorganisms. Ruminal fluid was collected from two steers fed 9.27 kg DM of a high-concentrate (62.2% ground corn and 17.4% cottonseed hulls) diet per day and composited. In the first study, no ionophore was included in the diet; the diet in the second study contained 11.1 g of laidlomycin propionate per ton of feed. The animals were allowed an adjustment period of 14 d for each dietary treatment before samples were collected. When ruminal fluid from unadapted animals was used, both monensin and laidlomycin propionate decreased (P<.05) CH4 concentration and the acetate:propionate ratio with ground corn and alfalfa hay. Monensin reduced (P<.05) in vitro dry matter disappearance of alfalfa and increased (P<.05) final pH in the ground corn and alfalfa hay fermentations. Both laidlomycin propionate and monensin decreased (P<.05) concentrations of acetate, propionate, isobutyrate, isovalerate, CH4, and NH3 in Trypticase fermentations. When ruminal fluid from adapted animals was used, both ionophores still reduced the concentrations of most fermentation products. However, there was generally less inhibition compared with fermentations inoculated with unadapted mixed ruminal microorganisms. In the presence of 5 mM maltose, mixed ruminal bacteria produced high concentrations (10 to 11 mM) of lactate, and addition of both ionophores to these fermentations was effective in reducing (P<.05) lactate production. In conclusion, laidlomycin propionate alters the mixed ruminal microorganism fermentation in a manner similar to monensin, but, at the concentrations used in this study, monensin seemed to be a more potent inhibitor.