Effect of yeast culture (YEA-SACC1026) supplement on fermentation and in sacco digestibility of some roughages in buffalo calves

The effect of Saccharomyces cerevisiae culture (YC, YEA-SACC(1026)) as a su pplement to normal diet of buffalo calves on the rumen microbial population and fermentation pattern and in sacco dry matter and cell wall constituent s disappearance of some feedstuffs was monitored on 6 rumen-fistulated buff alo calves divided into 2 groups C and YC. All the animals were fed on a co nventional diet comprising wheat straw, berseem and concentrate mixture as per requirements. The animals of group YC were supplemented with 5 g yeast culture per day. The pH was increased significantly and lactate concentrati on decreased in rumen fluid (RF) for up to 6 hr post-feeding in YC compared to C group. Total bacteria, total viable bacteria and cellulolytic bacteri a population increased significantly in YC group. The concentration of tota l VFA and protein was increased by 8.36 and 2.50%, respectively, in YC comp ared to C group. On YC supplementation, the concentration of NH3-N in RF de creased by 9.26%. The in sacco dry matter, neutral detergent fibre and cell ulose disappearance of wheat straw, rice straw, pearl millet straw, maize s talks and berseem hay was higher in yeast supplemented group compared to co ntrol.