Thein vitroproduction, by rumen micro-organisms, of volatile fatty acids from cellulose and hemicellulose labelled with14C

Abstract

1. A new technique has been used to study the fermentation of hemicellulose and α-cellulosein vitro. This involved the use of14C-labelled carbohydrates fermented in the presence of normal herbage material in an artificial rumen.2. A method of growing grass in an atmosphere of14CO2, its fractionation into hemicellulose and α-cellulose and the analysis of the labelled V.F.A. end-products are described.