Changes in fibrolytic microbes and enzymes of fistulated goat in response to feeding with methanol extract of Sapindus rarak

Abstract

Saponin containing methanol extract of Sapindus rarak (MS) was fed to four fistulated goats to study its effect on major fibrolytic microbes and fibrolytic enzyme activity. Rumen liquor was taken at pre-, during and post MS feeding. Fibrolytic microbes except Fibrobacter dropped dramatically at 3 days of feeding and regained its concentration at 6 days post feeding. A reduction of xylanase and CMCase activities only occurred after 3 days of MS feeding. No correlation was found between the concentration of these microbes to the xylanase or CMCase activities in the rumen.