Growth and antimicrobial activity of lactic acid bacteria from rumen fluid according to energy or nitrogen source

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of supplementation with different sources of energy and nitrogenous compounds on the in vitro growth and production of bacteriocin of lactic acid bacteria. Incubations were performed by using ruminal fluid from a rumen-fistulated Holstein-Zebu steer. The animal was kept on a Brachiaria decumbens pasture receiving 200 g/day of supplemental crude protein. Substrates and inoculum were placed in glass flasks considering eight treatments: cellulose, cellulose and casein, cellulose and soy peptone, cellulose and urea, starch, starch and casein, starch and soy peptone and starch and urea. Successive incubations were conducted to select microorganisms according to the energy sources and nitrogenous compounds. Starch favoured growth of lactic acid bacteria when compared to cellulose. Supplementation with true protein (soy peptone and casein) stimulated the growth of these bacteria when compared to the control (without supplementation with nitrogenous compounds). The addition of urea did not stimulate the growth of lactic acid bacteria. No antimicrobial activity was detected from colonies of isolated lactic acid bacteria. Sources of true protein increase the competition between non-structural and structural carbohydrates fermenting bacteria