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ARS Home » Plains Area » College Station, Texas » Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center » Food and Feed Safety Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #300605

Title: Evaluation of bacterial diversity in the rumen and feces of cattle

Author
item Callaway, Todd
item WRIGHT, A - University Of Vermont
item BRIKIS, O - University Of Vermont
item Edrington, Thomas
item Nisbet, David

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/10/2014
Publication Date: 4/15/2014
Citation: Callaway, T.R., Wright, A.G., Brikis, O., Edrington, T.S., Nisbet, D.J. 2014. Evaluation of bacterial diversity in the rumen and feces of cattle. In: Nelson, K.E., editor. Encyclopedia of Metagenomics. Rockville, MD: J. Craig Venter Institute. p. 1-6.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The rumen is a pre-gastric, anaerobic fermentation chamber populated by a consortium of bacteria, archaea, protozoa, and fungi, which break down feedstuffs in a truly symbiotic relationship within the host animal. The bacterial population is the best known component and is made up of more than 2000 bacterial species and strains at populations in excess of 1011 cells/ml. Molecular techniques have increased the numbers of bacterial isolates associated with the rumen and have revealed much of the population remains unknown. Further developments have revolutionized our understanding of the microbial ecology of the rumen and gastrointestinal tract and how interactions occur between members of the consortium and the host animal.