Significance of dietary sulphur and sulphate reducing bacteria in lactating dairy cattle: A review

Abstract

Sulphur is an important mineral for animal nutrition as it is integral component of many biologically active compounds like amino acid, vitamins, co-enzymes, cartilage, glutathione, fibrinogen, heparin etc. Biotin, thiamine and methionine are essential compounds in monogastric animal’s diet but can be formed in rumen animal with the help of rumen bacteria and other can be manufactured with these. Generally sulphur contain approximately 0.15% of animal body weight but it may vary from species to species. Controlled amount of sulphur in dairy cattle can improve their performance in context of milk, digestion with the help of sulphate reducing bacteria, methane gas emission, but if given in dose more than the permissible level, may result into harmful effects.