Rumen Manipulation: One of the Promising Strategies to Improve Livestock Productivity-Review

Abstract

Anaerobic rumen microorganisms mainly bacteria, protozoa and fungi degrade ligno-cellulosic feeds consumed by the ruminants. The ruminants in developing countries are chiefly maintained on low grade roughage and grazing on degraded range land resulting in their poor nutrient utilization and productivity. Hence, manipulation of rumen fermentation is crucial to optimize ruminal fermentation for improving nutrient utilization and productivity of the animals. Chemical additives those selectively affect rumen microbes, introduction of naturally occurring or genetically modified foreign microbes into the rumen and genetically manipulation of existing microbes in the rumen ecosystem are the available rumen manipulation strategies. Accordingly, rumen protozoa are getting rid of by defaunation for plummeting ruminal methane production and increasing protein outflow in the intestine, resulting in get better growth and feed conversion efficiency of the animals. Additionally, probiotics of bacterial and yeast origin are also used in animal feeding to stabilize rumen fermentation, reduced incidence of diarrhea and thus improving growth and feed conversion efficiency of young stalk. In view of feed resource availability more emphasis must be given for manipulating rumen fermentation to increase cellulolytic activity for efficient utilization of low-grade roughage thereby improves livestock production and productivity.