Lactic Acid Production in the Rumen

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Abstract
The rumen of steers showed accumulations of lactic acid following feeding of normal rations. Hay fed alone or with grain produced peak levels of 20 to 50 mg/100 ml of rumen liquor within 1 hour after feeding. Levels up to 200 mg/100 ml were found after silage feeding, but most of this lactic acid was contained in the silage. Essentially no lactic acid was found beyond 4 hours after feeding any ration. Of a number of carbohydrates administered to fistulated steers, glucose was the only one which produced lactic acid in the rumen in appreciable quantities. The occurrence of lactic acid was positively correlated with an increase in proprionic acid.

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