Effect of propolis product on digestibility and ruminal parameters in buffaloes consuming a forage-based diet

Abstract

This study evaluated the Propolis product (LLOS) effects on feed intake, dry matter (DM) and nutrients total digestibility, rumen characteristics and microbial efficiency in buffaloes fed a roughage based diet (70% Cynodon spp hay and 30% concentrate). Using a 4×4 latin square design, four crossbred buffalo (Murrah x Jafarabadi) steers (519.0±13.0 kg body weight - BW), were fed four treatments with three LLOS concentrations: Control (no LLOS), LLOS B3+ (0.272 mg/g flavonoid chrysin equivalents), LLOS C1 (0.092 mg/g flavonoid chrysin equivalents), and LLOS C1+ (0.184 mg/g flavonoid chrysin equivalents). Diet formulation was 60% total digestible nutrient (TDN) and 11% crude protein (CP). No difference was observed in DM intake among experimental diets (P>0.05). Steers fed LLOS C1 had greater (P<0.05) coefficients of digestibility for DM (67.2 vs 62.7%), organic matter (OM) (68.1 vs 63.7%), neutral detergent fibre (NDF) (61.7 vs 56.6%), total carbohydrates (TCHO) (67.7 vs 63.2%) and TDN (66.1 vs 62.8%) compared to animals fed the control diet. LLOS C1 provided greatest (P<0.05) short chain fatty acids (SCFA) production (141.89 vs 129.15 µM/mL) and butyric production (16.15 vs 14.05 µM/mL) compared to control. The lowest rumen pH (6.65; P<0.05) was observed in steers fed diets with LLOS C1. No difference (P>0.05) was observed for ammoniacal nitrogen (N-NH3), solid and liquid passage rate and microbial efficiency among treatments. In this study LLOS C1 improved forage diet efficiency in buffalo steers.