Date of Award:
5-2022
Document Type:
Thesis
Degree Name:
Master of Science (MS)
Department:
Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences
Committee Chair(s)
Fernanda Batistel
Committee
Fernanda Batistel
Committee
Kara Thornton-Kurth
Committee
Allen J. Young
Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary palmitic acid and pH on rumen fermentation, fiber digestibility, and bacterial community composition. The two factors in the experiment were palmitic acid treatment and pH treatment. Palmitic acid treatments included a control diet compared to a diet containing 1.5% palmitic acid. pH treatments included normal pH (6.6 to 7.0) compared to low pH (6.0 to 6.4). Rumen fluid from a cow was added to artificial rumens to study the effects of the two treatments relative to fermentation and changes within the microbial community. Results of the study showed that low pH decreases fermentation measures and palmitic acid supplementation increases fermentation measures. Both treatments did change ruminal levels of butyrate. Treatments of pH and palmitic acid did not change rumen microbiome measures of species richness or evenness, but did influence populations of specific bacteria and archaea. In conclusion, palmitic acid and pH independently affected rumen fermentation, fiber digestion and bacterial community composition.
Checksum
685328d060d1c4a13b03a4de54182370
Recommended Citation
Padilla, Lexie, "Impact of pH and Palmitic Acid on Ruminal Fermentation and Microbial Community Composition" (2022). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023. 8486.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/8486
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