QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s):
Home     Help     Feedback     Subscriptions     Archive     Search     Table of Contents

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by GRAY, F. V. Articles by WELLER, R. A. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by GRAY, F. V. Articles by WELLER, R. A.

Journal of Experimental Biology 29,57-65 (1952)
Published by Company of Biologists 1952

Fermentation in the Rumen of the Sheep : IV. The Nature and Origin of the Volatile Fatty Acids in the Rumen of the Sheep

F. V. GRAY ¹, A. F. PILGRIM ¹, H. J. RODDA ¹, and R. A. WELLER ¹

¹ Division of Biochemistry and General Nutrition of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, University of Adelaide, South Australia

1. The mixture of volatile fatty acids in the rumen of the sheep has been shown to include formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, n-butyric acid, iso-butyric acid, n-valeric acid, another valeric acid isomer, caproic acid and an acid which is probably heptoic acid. The proportions in which they are present have been determined.

2. When acetic acid labelled with ¹⁴C in the carboxyl group was incorporated in the rumen fermentation in vitro, active carbon appeared later in all the higher acids. When labelled propionic acid was included in the fermentation, active carbon appeared in the valeric but not in the butyric acid. The results suggest a synthesis of the higher acids by condensation of the lower ones with 2-C compound in equilibrium with acetic acid. The extent of such syntheses and other possible modes of origin of the fatty acids are discussed.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. C. Resende Junior, M. N. Pereira, H. Boer, and S. Tamminga Comparison of techniques to determine the clearance of ruminal volatile fatty acids. J Dairy Sci, August 1, 2006; 89(8): 3096 - 3106. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]