Nitrogen Sources for Starch Digestion by Rumen Microorganisms

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Abstract
The effectiveness of selected ammonium salts, amino acids, amides and amidines, as nitrogen sources for in vitro digestion of starch by rumen microorganisms has been compared to urea. Ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride, ammonium acetate and ammonium phosphate were equivalent to urea. Aspartic acid was inferior to urea but significantly more effective than the other amino acids. Arginine, serine, methionine, valine and glutamic acid additions resulted in moderate to slight increases in starch digestion. Lysine, acetamide, propionamide, butyramide, succininide, malonanide, guanidine, acetate or aminoguanidine bicarbonate did not consistently stimulate starch digestion. High ammonia levels were associated with stimulation of starch digestion.