Screening of plants from diversified natural grasslands for their potential to combine high digestibility, and low methane and ammonia production. (21st July 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Macheboeuf, D.; Coudert, L.; Bergeault, R.; Lalière, G.; Niderkorn, V.
• Is Part Of: Animal. Volume 8:Number 11(2014:Nov.)
• Page Start: 1797
• Page End: 1806
• Publication Date: 2014-07-21
• Subjects: Animal breeding -- Periodicals; Animal genetics -- Periodicals; Animal nutrition -- Periodicals; Animal physiology -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; 636.005
• DOI: 10.1017/S1751731114001785
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1751-7311

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="normal"> <title> <x content-type="archive" xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>A total of 156 plant species from 35 botanical families collected from diversified grasslands in the French Massif Central were screened <italic>in vitro</italic> for their potential to combine high nutritive value for ruminants and a reduced impact on the environment. The vegetative part of plants were analyzed for their chemical composition and incubated in a batch system containing buffered rumen fluid at 39°C for 24 h. The gas production and composition were recorded, and the fermentation end-product concentrations in the incubation medium and the <italic>in vitro</italic> true organic matter digestibility (IVTOMD) were determined. The results were expressed relative to perennial ryegrass (PRG) values used as a reference. We observed that no relationship between methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) and volatile fatty acids (VFA) was evidenced for 12 plants, the fermentation of these plants producing significantly less CH<sub>4</sub> for a similar level of VFA production. In all, 13 plants showed 50% less CH<sub>4</sub> production per unit of organic matter truly digested (OMTD) than PRG. Among these plants, two reduced CH<sub>4</sub> by more than 80% and four species had an IVTOMD higher than 80%. The underlying modes of action seem to be different among plants: some result in an accumulation of H<sub>2</sub> in the fermentation gas, but others do not. In terms of nitrogen (N) use efficiency, the fermentation of 37 plants halved the ratio between ammonia (N–NH<sub>3</sub>) and plant N content compared with PRG, of which six showed a complete absence of N–NH<sub>3</sub> in the medium. Among these plants, four maintained the IVTDMO at values not significantly different from PRG (<italic>P</italic>>0.05). Considering the multi-criteria selection, 16 plants showed simultaneously a reduction of more than 80% in N–NH<sub>3</sub> production and 30% in CH<sub>4</sub> emission per unit of OMTD compared with PRG, including three with an IVTOMD higher than 80%. Overall, the botanical families that reduced simultaneously CH<sub>4</sub> and N–NH<sub>3</sub> most efficiently were the <italic>Rosaceae</italic>, <italic>Onagraceae</italic>, <italic>Polygonaceae</italic> and <italic>Dipsacaceae</italic>. The <italic>Onagraceae</italic> also gave high values for IVTOMD.</p> </abstract>