Korean native goats (Capra hircus coreanae) (KNG) and Hanwoo (Bos taurus coreanae) are indigenous breeds inhabiting Korea. This study compared the in vitro rumen fermentation characteristics, dry matter (DM) degradation, and ruminal microbial communities of Korean native goats and Hanwoo steers consuming rice hay (RH) and cotton fiber (CF). The pH, ammonia-nitrogen (NH₃-N), and total volatile fatty acids (VFAs) production significantly differ (p < 0.05) across species in all incubation times. After 24 h, the pH, NH₃-N, and total VFAs production were higher in Korean native goats than in Hanwoo steers. Total gas, molar proportion of propionate, and total VFAs were higher (p < 0.05) in RH than in CF for both ruminant species. DM digestibility of both substrates were higher (p < 0.05) in Hanwoo steers than in KNG. Both treatments in KNG produced higher (p < 0.01) microbial DNA copies of general bacteria than those in Hanwoo steers. Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens and Fibrobacter succinogenes had significantly higher DNA copies under RH and CF in Hanwoo steers than in Korean native goats. B. fibrisolvens, Ruminococcus albus, and Ruminococcus flavifaciens after 24 h of incubation had a higher abundance (p < 0.05) in RH than in CF. Overall results suggested that rumen bacteria had host-specific and substrate-specific action for fiber digestion and contribute to improving ruminal functions of forage utilization between ruminant species.

Solid-state fermentation (SSF) is increasingly applied to enhance the functional properties of traditional herbal medicines. In this study, we investigated the effect of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and other probiotic strains on the bioactive profile of Radix Angelica gigas (Danggui) during SSF. SSF was carried out by incubating a mixture of the herbal powder and distilled water (1:1, pH 7.0) with LAB strains (Lactobacillus rhamnosus, L. acidophilus, L. buchneri, L. reuteri, L. plantarum) and additional microbes (Bacillus subtilis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae) under controlled conditions. The 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging activities and total phenolic and flavonoid contents were measured. L. buchneri exhibited the highest growth, with significant proliferation observed on days 4 and 6, especially at 30 °C (p < 0.05). The DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities and total phenol and total flavonoid contents were increased by up to 230% (35 °C), 111% (30 °C), 137% (30 °C and 35 °C), and 133% (35 °C), respectively, in fermented herbs compared with those in non-fermented herbs. Antioxidant levels (DPPH, phenol, and flavonoid) exhibited a significant positive correlation with bacterial growth and a significant negative correlation with pH in SSF, but ABTS did not exhibit any statistically significant correlation with bacterial growth or pH. Moreover, multi-strain fermentations involving L. acidophilus and L. plantarum significantly increased the antioxidant activities compared to single-strain fermentations (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that SSF using probiotic LAB can significantly improve the bioactive composition of Radix Angelica gigas, providing a scientific method for modernizing traditional herbal medicine with potential uses in human and animal health.

한국가금학회지(The Journal of Curriculum Evaluation)