Microbial protein synthesis

Abstract

Because of the extensive hydrolysis of dietary proteins in the rumen and the attendant wastage of nitrogen which is absorbed as ammonia across the rumen wall and excreted as urea in the urine, the ruminal synthesis of bacterial and protozoal proteins has a special importance in the nutrition of the ruminant. This paper considers the factors influencing microbial protein synthesis in simple in vitro systems and examines the problems of quantifying the effects of nutrition and other factors on protein synthesis in the rumen.