Periodic Changes in the Concentrations of Micro-organisms in the Rumen of a Sheep Fed a Limited Ration every Three Hours

SUMMARY: A sheep was given small amounts of feed at 3-hr intervals and the concentrations of several groups of micro-organisms in the rumen were measured at intervals over 28 hr. A 3-hr rhythm of concentration change was seen for most micro-organisms. Superimposed on this was a gradual decline in concentration of several groups of micro-organisms, presumably due to removal of nutrients by repeated sampling from the rumen.