This invention relates to a novel strain of Megasphaera elsdenii and its uses. This invention further relates to preparations and methods incorporating such strain. This invention also relates to feedstuffs for ruminants and a preparation and method for the prevention and treatment of lactic acidosis in ruminants. This invention even further relates to a method of isolating a biologically pure culture of a superior ruminal microorganism in a relatively shorter time period than conventional methods. This invention yet further relates to a method of achieving any one or more of the following improvements in ruminants namely increased milk production; improved feedlot performance; improved growth rate; decrease in finishing time; lower digestive morbidity and mortality; lower incidence of lactic acidosis and related diseases; improved feed conversion efficiency; decrease in roughage content in feeds; and capability to feed on relatively higher concentrate diets.
1. A biologically pure bacterial culture of an acid tolerant strain of Megasphaera elsdenii selected from the group consisting of
the M. elsdenii strain CH3 deposited at NCIMB, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK under number NCIMB 41787, and
the M. elsdenii strain CH7 deposited at NCIMB, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK under number NCIMB 41788,
wherein the acid-tolerant strain has a maximum growth rate of at least about 0.5 h −1 on lactate medium at pH 5.0.
2. The biologically pure bacterial culture of claim 1 which is further characterised by its ability to utilize lactate in the presence of a sugar selected from the group consisting of glucose and maltose.
3. A composition for facilitating the adaptation of ruminants from a roughage-based diet to a high-energy concentrate-based diet, the composition comprising the bacterial culture of claim 1 .
4. A method for facilitating the adaptation of ruminants from a roughage-based diet to a high-energy concentrate-based diet, the method comprising administering to the rumen of said ruminants an effective amount of the composition of claim 3 .
5. A feed-additive for ruminants comprising a carrier and an effective amount of the bacterial culture of claim 1 .
6. The feed-additive according to claim 5 wherein the culture is disposed in an anaerobic container.
7. A method for the treatment of ruminal lactic acidosis comprising anaerobically administering to the rumen of a ruminant an effective amount of a bacterial culture according to claim 1 .
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the method treats at least one ruininal lactic acidosis, rumenitis, ruminal lactic acidosis induced laminitis, ruminal lactic acidosis induced bloat and liver abscesses.
9. A composition for the treatment of ruminal lactic acidosis comprising an effective amount of a bacterial culture according to claim 1 .
10. The composition of claim 9 , wherein the method treats at least one of ruminal lactic acidosis, rumenitis, ruminal lactic acidosis induced laminitis, ruminal lactic acidosis induced bloat and liver abscesses in ruminants.
11. A preparation for the treatment of ruminal lactic acidosis comprising an inoculum of a bacterial culture according to claim 1 and a sterile anaerobic growth medium.
12. The preparation of claim 11 wherein the culture and the medium are disposed in separate chambers of an anaerobic container, wherein the chambers are anaerobically connectable to each other.
13. The preparation of claim 12 , wherein the preparation treats at least one of ruminal lactic acidosis, rumenitis, ruminal lactic acidosis induced laminitis, ruminal acidosis induced bloat and liver abscesses in ruminants.
14. A method of achieving in a ruminant at least one of increased milk production; improved growth rate; lower incidence of lactic acidosis and related diseases; in feeds; and, the method comprising administering to the rumen of a ruminant an effective amount of the bacterial culture of claim 1 .
15. A method according to claim 14 wherein the culture is administered anaerobically.
16. The biologically pure bacterial culture of claim 1 , which is further characterised by its resistance to ionophores.
17. The biologically pure bacterial culture of claim 1 , which is further characterised by its capability to produce predominantly acetate.
18. The biologically pure bacterial culture of claim 1 further characterised by a maximum growth rate of at least about 0.36 h −1 on lactate medium at about pH 4.75.
19. The biologically pure bacterial culture of claim 1
wherein the acid-tolerant strain of M elsdeni has the identifying characteristics of a growth rate on lactate medium at pH 4.5 of at least 0.1 h −1 and a maximum growth on lactate medium at pH 5.5 of at least about 0.86 h −1 .