1 This is an author-produced version of the following Elsevier-published article: REZAEIAN M, BEAKES G. and CHAUDHRY A. Effect of feeding chopped and pelleted lucerne on rumen fungal mass, fermentation profiles and in sacco degradation of barley straw in sheep. Animal Feed Science and Technology 2006, 128(3-4), 292-306 doi:10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2005.11.004 Effect of feeding chopped and pelleted lucerne on rumen fungal mass, fermentation profiles and in sacco degradation of barley straw in sheep _____________________________________________________________________ M. Rezaeian a, *, G.W. Beakes b , A.S. Chaudhry c a Department of Animal Health and Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran. b School of Biology, University of Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK. c School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, University of Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK. * Corresponding author, Tel: +98 21 6923748; Fax: +98 21 6933222. E-mail address: mrezaee@ut.ac.ir (M. Rezaeian). Submitted: April 2005 Running head: Effect of dietary changes on rumen fungi and degradation of straw