EFFLUENT FROM RUSITEC INOCULATED WITH RUMEN LIQUOR OR COW FAECES AS SOURCES OF MICRO-ORGANISMS FOR IN VITRO DIGESTION OF FORAGES

The experiment investigated the possibility of using effluent from RUSITEC (rumen simulation technique) inoculated with rumen liquor or cow faeces as sources of micro-organisms for in vitro digestion of forages. Nine forages ${\times}3$ sources of inoculum were used in a factorial arrangement of treatments. Rumen liquor was collected from fistulated sheep and faeces was collected from cows. The RUSITEC apparatus consisted of 4 vessels, 2 vessels were charged with faecal liquor and 2 with rumen liquor. On the 8th day of the experiment RUSITEC effluent were collected to use in in vitro studies. In vitro OMD (g/kg) values using three sources of inoculum (fresh rumen liquor, RUSITEC effluent from rumen liquor or cow faeces) were statistically significant (p < 0.001). The regression relationships between OMD using fresh rumen liquor and RUSITEC effluent were highly significant ($R^2>0.90$). The results suggest that RUSITEC effluent either from rumen liquor or cow faeces can be used as a source of micro-organisms for in vitro digestion of forages.