Use of faecal liquor: An alternate strategy for in vitro rumen fermentation studies in Pulikulam cattle, a native cattle breed of Tamil Nadu

Rumen liquor is used as a source of inocula for rumen in vitro fermentation and degradation studies. Fistulated animals are required to collect the rumen liquor. Maintaining fistulated animals raises ethical issues. Moreover, in field condition it is difficult to collect rumen liquor from Pulikulam cattle using rumen pump, owing to its ferocious nature. Hence, this study planned to compare Pulikulam cattle rumen liquor vs Pulikulam cattle faeces as a source of inocula for studying in vitro rumen fermentation characteristics of forages consumed by Pulikulam cattle in its breeding tract. The rumen liquor and faecal samples were obtained from three Pulikulam cattle reared in Pulikulam Cattle Research Station, Tamil Nadu, India. Rumen liquor was collected via rumen pump and fresh fecal samples were collected per rectum. Predominant forages present in the three districts, of Pulikulam cattle breeding tract were collected and their in vitro rumen fermentation characteristics for 24 and 48 hours were studied using either rumen liquor or faecal liquor as inocula. In all the three districts, no significant variation was observed in in vitro rumen fermentation characteristics of the predominant forages when either rumen liquor or faecal liquor from Pulikulam cattle were used as source of inocula. Hence, it was concluded that as an alternate strategy faecal liquor could be used as inoculam for in vitro rumen fermentation studies in Pulikulam cattle.