Rumen fermentation in vitro as influenced by long chain fatty acids

Responses of rumen microbes to fatty acids were evaluated by production of total volatile fatty acid and ratio of acetate to propionate. Fermentations were under carbon dioxide for 20 h in 50-ml Erlenmeyer flasks in a Dubnoff metabolic shaking incubator. Flasks contained 20 ml medium, 1 ml reducing solution, 750 mg substrate (450 mg hay plus 300 mg grain), and varying amounts of long-chain fatty acids supplied as free acids, as calcium salts, or as triglycerides. They were inoculated with 5 ml rumen fluid obtained from a cow fed 3.6 kg grass hay, 2.3 kg grain, and .2 kg tallow daily. Volatile fatty acid production was decreased by long-chain fatty acids that contained less than 18 carbon atoms and by unsaturated long-chain fatty acids with 18 carbon atoms. Lauric acid decreased volatile fatty acid production by 69% and induced unusual acetate/propionate ratio (40:1). Stearic acid, however, did not affect volatile fatty acid production or acetate/propionate ratio. Within two series of long chain fatty acids (myristic, palmitic, stearic, arachidic; stearic, oleic, linolenic), melting point accounted for 93 to 95% of the variation of volatile fatty acid production and acetate/propionate. As calcium salts, long chain fatty acids caused small changes of fermentation. Our data support the proposition that hard fats and calcium salts of long-chain fatty acids do not interfere with ruminal fermentation.