Establishment, counts, and identification of the fibrolytic microflora in the digestive tract of rabbit. Influence of feed cellulose content

In the young rabbit, the celluloytic population appeared in the cecum and colon microflora between 12 and 16 days after birth. It increased rapidly with age to stabilize at a level of about 107 bacteria a few days after weaning. In the adult animal the xylanolytic and pectinolytic populations established at levels between 109 and 1010 bacteria g−1. The colic and cecal populations were comparable in size. When the feed cellulose content rose from 11 to 17% (P/V), the cellulolytic population increased about tenfold, and the range of individual variations decreased. All the fibrolytic strains isolated were strictly anaerobic;Eubacterium cellulosolvens was the most frequently isolated cellulolytic species. The eight xylanolytic strains and the twelve pectinolytic strains identified were assigned to the speciesBacteroides ruminicola.