In Vitro Degradation of Wheat Straw by Ruminal Fungi of Cattle and Buffalo Supplemented with Sulphur

In vitro dry matter degradation and rumen metabolites were relatively profiled due to fermentation of sulphur supplemented wheat straw by anaerobic fungi from cattle and buffalo. The dry matter degradability influenced (P<0.05) by level of sulphur (0.1, 0.2, 03 and 0.4% on DM basis), irrespective of fungi source and was highest (P<0.05) due to 0.3% sulphur (47.0 and 45.9%) for two respective ruminants vis-a-vis of control (413 and 39.8%). The pattern of rumen gas pool size substantiated the ruminal dry matter degradation, of which cattle (443%) excelled (P<0.05) buffalo (433%) fungi. Sulphur incorporated wheat straw linearly increased (P<0.05) rumen total and protein -N constituents and decreased (P<0.05) ammonia-N (35.0 vs 39.1 mg % in cattle, 37.5 vs 41.6 mg % in buffalo) as compared to control. Rumen nitrogen fractions (total and protein -N), TVFA and cellulase activity were maximum (P<0.05) at 0.3% sulphur supplemented wheat straw. Of the graded levels of sulphur, 0.3% helped in the maximizing in vitro dry matter digestion and nitrogen metabolism by anaerobic fungi. Rumen fungi from cattle was superior than buffalo in enhancing dry matter degradation and rumen protein-N constituent.