Effects of a selection of additives on in vitro ruminal methanogenesis and in situ and in vivo NDF digestibility. (8th July 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pirondini, Mario; Colombini, Stefania; Malagutti, Luca; Rapetti, Luca; Galassi, Gianluca; Zanchi, Raffaella; Crovetto, Gianni Matteo
• Is Part Of: Animal science journal. Volume 86:Number 1(2015:Jan.)
• Page Start: 59
• Page End: 68
• Publication Date: 2014-07-08
• Subjects: Animal culture -- Periodicals; Livestock -- Periodicals; 636
• DOI: 10.1111/asj.12249
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1344-3941

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>The effects of 18 essential oils, yeast, <italic>Quebracho</italic> tannin and <italic>Quillaja</italic> saponin on ruminal methane and gas production (GP) were studied <italic>in vitro</italic>. A lactating cow diet was incubated with rumen <italic>inoculum</italic>. Doses of the additives (mg/L) were: essential oils = 500; tannin = 67; yeast = 8.35 and 16.7; and saponin = 300. Lemongrass, estragole, eugenol, geraniol, limonen, thyme oil and thymol produced less gas (overall mean 33.8 mL/200 mg dry matter (DM)) than control (43.6 mL/200 mg DM; <italic>P</italic> < 0.001). Methane produced (mL/200 mg DM) by guaiacol (10.7), lemongrass (9.6), limonene (11.4), thyme oil (10.9) and thymol (2.1) was lower than control (12.5) (<italic>P</italic> < 0.001). Methane percentage on total GP was lower (<italic>P</italic> < 0.001) for cinnamic alcohol (25.4), guaiacol (24.5), thymol (19.7) and vanillin (26.3) than control (28.8). In a second experiment, thymol, guaiacol and yeast were added to the diet of dry fistulated cows to determine <italic>in situ</italic> neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDFD) of six forages and <italic>in vivo</italic> dietary NDFD. Thymol and yeast decreased <italic>in situ</italic> NDFD after 24 h (33.9% and 33.5% vs. 38.1%; <italic>P</italic> = 0.008). Thymol decreased <italic>in vivo</italic> total tract NDFD (40.8% vs. 51.4%; <italic>P</italic> = 0.02). Differences in GP and methane levels were registered within classes of additives. A careful selection of additives may allow for the manipulation of ruminal fermentation.</p> </abstract>