The anaerobic rumen fungus, N. frontalis N1-1, which had a high fiber-degrading capacity was selected to make a fungal additive and to evaluate its effects on ruminal fermentation. The fungal additive was added at the level of 0.03, 0.06, 0.09, and 0.12%(w/v) in Lowe´s medium and pH, gas production, dry matter degradation, CMCase, xylanase, and volatile fatty acid(VFA) were determined after 2, 4, and 6 days of incubation.
Addition of high level of fungal additive (0.09 and 0.12%) decreased pH compared with control treatment(P$lt;0.05). The gas production was increased by the addition of fungal additive. The highest increase in gas production was achieved with 0.09, and 0.1% supplementation after 6 days incubation(P$lt;0.05). The degradation of dry matter was increased with incubation time up to 6 days and was significantly lower in control. Activities of carboxymethylcellulase(CMCase), and xylanase in the culture supernatant was increased by the addition of fungal additive with highest increase after 4 days of incubation. Total VFA production and acetate:propionate ratio also tended to increase by fungal additive after 4 days of incubation similar to results of enzyme activities.
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