Repeated ruminal dosing of Ruminococcus spp. does not result in persistence, but changes in other microbial populations occur that can be measured with quantitative 16S-rRna-based probes

Repeated ruminal dosing of Ruminococcus spp. has been found not to result in persistence in studies related to fiber digestibility and whether it is the cellulolytic bacteria or the nature of plant cell walls that are the limiting factor. Changes in other microbial populations can be measured with unique quantitative 16S-rRna-based probes. Higher level probes were used to explore the effects of dosing on Fibrobacter, Ruminococcus, and eukaryotes.