Objective.

To determine in vitro fermentation of cellulolytic ruminal bacterial consortia (CBC) preserved by lyophilization using activated carbon, maltose and lactose as preservatives.

Materials and methods.

A CBC was isolated from the ruminal fluid of a female water buffalo in selective cellulolytic media. The CBC were lyophilized without preservative (SP), activated carbon (CA), lactose (LA) o maltose (MA) as preservatives. The experimental design was completely random to measure biogas at different time intervals; as well as completely random with 4x3 factorial arrangement, factors were preservative [SP, CA, LA and MA] and fermentation time (24, 48 and 72 h) for pH, ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3-N), dry matter degradation (DMD), neutral detergent fiber degradation (NDFD), enzymatic activity cellulases and total bacteria population.

Results.

LA produced higher accumulated biogas at 72 h and partial biogas after 12 h (p≤0.05). SP did not show differences (p>0.05) in cellulases, total bacteria population, DMD and NDFD in the fermentation times evaluated with the rest of the preservative.

Conclusions.

The production of partial and accumulated biogas, the increase in the degradation rate of 8.3 and 91.1% in the DMD and NDFD from 24 to 72 h (p≤0.05) in the LA preservative, show that lactose can be used as a preservative of ruminal cellulolytic bacteria.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in English | Spanish     · English ( pdf ) | Spanish ( pdf )