Abstract
Nineteen tanniferous browse plants were collected from South Africa to investigate their digestibility, gas production (GP) characteristics and methane production. Fresh samples were collected, dried in forced oven, and ground and analyzed for nutrient composition. In vitro GP and in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) were determined using rumen fluid collected, strained and anaerobically prepared. A semi- automated system was used to measure GP by incubating the sample in a shaking incubator at 39°C. There was significant (p<0.05) variation in chemical composition of studied browses. Crude protein (CP) content of the species ranged from 86.9 to 305.0 g/kg dry matter (DM). The neutral detergent fiber (NDF) ranged from 292.8 to 517.5 g/kg DM while acid detergent fiber (ADF) ranged from 273.3 to 495.1 g/kg DM. The ash, ether extract, non-fibrous carbohydrate, neutral detergent insoluble nitrogen, and acid detergent insoluble nitrogen and CP were negatively correlated with methane production. Methane production was positively correlated with NDF, ADF, cellulose and hemi-cellulose. Tannin decreased GP, IVOMD, total volatile fatty acid and methane production. The observed low methanogenic potential and substantial ammonia generation of some of the browses might be potentially useful as rumen manipulating agents. However, a systematic evaluation is needed to determine optimum levels of supplementation in a mixed diet in order to attain a maximal depressing effect on enteric CH4 production with a minimal detrimental effect on rumen fermentation of poor quality roughage based diet.
Highlights
Enteric methane is a greenhouse gas that causes significant loses of energy in ruminants and estimated to represent globally 2,079 and 2,344 Mt CO2-eq/year for 2010 and 2020, respectively (Hristov et al, 2013)
The substrate were included in each run as blanks of highest NDIN content was found for Melia azedarach while inoculum to correct methane and GP from inoculum Kirkia acuminata had the highest value of ADIN
The CH4 gas volume was converted to energy recorded in Quercus rubica while the lowest value was and mass values using the conversion factors 9.45 kcal/L recorded in Morus alba
Summary
Enteric methane is a greenhouse gas that causes significant loses of energy in ruminants and estimated to represent globally 2,079 and 2,344 Mt CO2-eq/year for 2010 and 2020, respectively (Hristov et al, 2013). In targeting methane reduction it is crucial to develop a strategy that decrease methane producing micro-biota activities and proliferation without limiting rumen function. Sci. 28:188-199 gas production (GP) and digestibility (Makkar, 2003; company, which is based on the methods described by Van. Guglielmelli et al, 2011). Determinations of total phenols (TP), total tannins (TT) Their strategic inclusion to poor quality feed to and condensed tannins (CT) were done following procedure optimize their utilization in ruminants feeding can be described by Makkar (2003). Condensed tannins were regarded as a way forward (Beauchemin et al, 2008) This determined by the butanol–HCl–iron method (Porter et al, in vitro study was aimed to investigate the effect of tannin 1985). Collection of rumen fluid and preparation of buffer solution: The rumen fluid was collected from three rumen
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