Fungi Effect

In the rumen and the cecum, bacteria and protozoa are found in greater numbers than the fungi, and bacteria are responsible for the vast majority of digestion. However, the fungi have a crucial role in fiber digestion, as they are the only organisms capable of breaking the lignin-hemicellulose bonds of forages, which act as physical barriers to the bacteria, limiting both the rate and extent of digestion by preventing bacterial attachment. Since bacteria digest cellulose and hemicellulose by attaching to them, having the fungi create more surface area for bacterial attachment is critical to maximizing forage digestion. Chang et al. (1999) reported that a fermentation extract of Aspergillus oryzae, Amaferm, accelerated both the rate and extent of fiber digestion through increased growth of the fungus Neocallimastix frontalis EB188, thus functioning like a prebiotic in stimulating the activity of fungi that break lingo-cellulose bonds leading to enhanced bacterial digestion.

Specific research information can be found by clicking on the links below:

Welch et al.  1996

Harper et al.  1996

Chang et al.  1999

Schmidt et al. 2004