Abstract
Aim:A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of replacing oat fodder (OF) with fresh oak leaves (FOL) or chopped oak leaves (COL) on rumen fermentation and digestibility through in vitro gas production technique (IVGPT).Materials and Methods:Nine different diets were prepared by mixing OF with oak leaves (either FOL or COL) in different ratios (100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, and 0:100). The rations were evaluated through Hohenheim IVGPT with 200 mg substrate and 30 ml of buffered rumen liquor. All the syringes were incubated at 39°C for 24 h in buffered rumen liquor of cattle. After 24 h, the total gas production was recorded, and the contents were analyzed for in vitro methane production, protozoa no. and ammonia-N.Results:Chopping (p<0.01) reduced the tannin fractions as well as non-tannin phenol. Increase in levels of oak decreased total gas production, methane, organic matter (OM) digestibility, and metabolizable energy (ME) values. The polyphenol content of the substrate did not show any significant difference on the protozoal count.Conclusion:In vitro studies revealed that the addition of oak leaves reduced the methane production and ammonia nitrogen levels; however, it also decreased the OM digestibility and ME values linearly as the level of the oak leaves increased in the diet. Chopping was effective only at lower inclusion levels. Further studies, especially in vivo studies, are needed to explore the safe inclusion levels of oak leaves in the diet of ruminants.
Highlights
Availability of fodder among Asian countries with countries like India is not adequate to meet the ever growing livestock population
In vitro studies revealed that the addition of oak leaves reduced the methane production and ammonia nitrogen levels; it decreased the organic matter (OM) digestibility and metabolizable energy (ME) values linearly as the level of the oak leaves increased in the diet
The chemical composition of the oat fodder (OF) and oak leaves are presented in the Table-1
Summary
Availability of fodder among Asian countries with countries like India is not adequate to meet the ever growing livestock population. Tree fodders are the alternate source of small ruminant feeds to that of conventional green fodders which have the potential to mitigate the gap between demand and supply of feeds [2]. Tree fodders have similar nutritive value as that of leguminous fodders [3], which plays an important role in the nutrition of grazing animals where there is less scope of conventional fodders. Oaks (Quercus spp.) are one such tree fodder which is the dominant, climax tree species of the moist temperate forests of the North Western Himalayan region (NWHR). During extreme climatic condition in this agro-climatic zone, when ruminants cannot go out to graze oak leaves take cares the nutritive requirement of such animals
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
