Table 1. Rumen fermentation parameters, rumen enzymes activities, and methanogens population (Log10 copies/µL 16S rDNA) in the rumen of sheep fed different diets (Mean ± SE).
| Item | S1 |
S2 |
S3 |
Overall Mean | SEM | P value | |||
| Mean | SE | Mean | SE | Mean | SE | ||||
| Rumen fermentation parameters | |||||||||
| pH | 5a | 0.05 | 5.2a | 0.04 | 5.91b | 0.12 | 5.35 | 0.14 | <0.0001 |
| NH3N, mg/dL | 6.6b | 0.04 | 3a | 0.05 | 3a | 0.06 | 4.2 | 0.6 | <0.0001 |
| TVFA, meq/dL | 13.1b | 0.4 | 8.8a | 0.24 | 8.75a | 0.08 | 10.2 | 0.73 | <0.0001 |
| Acetic% | 51.3a | 0.3 | 54.3a | 1.2 | 66.7b | 2.3 | 57.4 | 2.5 | 0.001 |
| Propionic% | 41c | 0 | 35b | 2.5 | 20a | 0.6 | 32 | 3.2 | <0.0001 |
| Butyric% | 7.7 | 0.3 | 10.7 | 1.8 | 13.3 | 1.7 | 10.5 | 1.09 | 0.086 |
| A/P ratio | 1.25 | 1.55 | 3.3 | ||||||
|
| |||||||||
| Enzymes activity, IU/mL | |||||||||
| Cellulase | 7.7 | 1.3 | 10.5 | 0.86 | 9 | 0 | 9.06 | 0.6 | 0.168 |
| xylanase | 6.5 | 1.75 | 6 | 2.8 | 3.2 | 2.2 | 5.2 | 1.25 | 0.567 |
|
| |||||||||
| Archaeal copy number; Log 10 copies/µL 16S rDNA | |||||||||
| Log10 | 5.8 | 0.148 | 5.2 | 0.6 | 6.2 | 0.6 | 5.7 | 0.28 | 0.415 |
*Note: A: Acetic; P: Propionic.