Effects of inclusion of purple prairie clover (Dalea purpurea Vent.) with native cool-season grasses on in vitro fermentation and in situ digestibility of mixed forages

In vitro gas production, in situ digestibility, intake, weight gain and ruminal characteristics of calves fed a diet containing 60% waste papaya silage

Our aim was to evaluate a whole-grain diet containing 0 (T1) and 60% (T2) waste papaya silage in vitro, in situ and in vivo. In vitro, biogas, methane and dry matter degradation (DMDiv), neutral detergent fiber (NDFDiv) and crude protein (CPDiv) were determined at 72 h; in situ, DM (DMDis), NDF (NDFis) and CP (CPDis) digestibility was determined at 72 h; in vivo, consumption and apparent digestibility of DM (DMI and DMD) and NDF (NDFI and NDFD), daily weight gain (DWG), rumen characteristics (pH, bacterial and protozoan counts) were determined. In addition, we performed coproparasitoscopic analysis and interviews with producers. Biogas production, methane, DMDiv, CDPiv, DMDis, DMD, NDFD, pH, bacterial and protozoan counts, and parasite load of nematodes and coccidia were not different between treatments (p > 0.05). T2 showed more NDFDiv, CPDis, DMI, NDFI, DWG than T1, while T1 was higher than T2 in NDFDis (p < 0.05). The results obtained from in vitro, in situ and in vivo techniques indicate that the diet with 60% waste papaya silage (T2) showed a similar response to the control diet (T1). Therefore, waste papaya silage is a non-conventional feeding alternative for weaned calves in the Costa Chica region of the state of Guerrero, Mexico.

Impact of condensed tannin-containing legumes on ruminal fermentation, nutrition, and performance in ruminants: a review

Legume forages, such as sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.) and birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.), can increase the forage quality and quantity of Western Canadian pastures, thus increasing producer profitability due to increased gains in grazing ruminants, while also reducing risk of bloat in legume pastures due to the presence of proanthocyanidins. Proanthocyanidins or condensed tannins (CT) are secondary plant polyphenol compounds that have been regarded as anti-nutritional due to their ability to bind protein in feeds, enzymes, and microbial cells, therefore disrupting microbial digestion and slowing ruminal protein and dry matter (DM) digestion. Research has shown that at high concentrations (>50 g·kg−1 DM), CT can disrupt microbial digestion. However, at low dietary inclusion rates (5–10 g·kg−1 DM), they reduce bloat risk, increase ruminal undegradable protein, reduce enteric methane production, and benefit anthelmintic activity. Yet, research gaps still exist regarding grazing persistence and forage yield of novel CT-containing forages and their biological activity due to their vast differences in CT stereochemistry, polymer size, and intermolecular linkages. The objectives of this review are to summarize information regarding the impact of CT on ruminal fermentation, carbohydrate and protein metabolism, and the potential to identify and select for forages that contain CT for ruminant production.

In vitro ruminal fermentation of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) produced less methane than that of alfalfa (Medicago sativa)

Objective

The objective of this study was to compare fenugreek (FG) with alfalfa (Alf) in ruminal fermentation and methane (CH₄) production in vitro.

Methods

Whole-plant FG harvested at 11- and 15-wk and Alf harvested at early and mid-bloom maturities, alone or as 50:50 mixture of FG and Alf at the respective maturity, were assessed in a series of 48-h in vitro batch culture incubations. Total fermentation gas and methane gas production, dry matter (DM) disappearance, volatile fatty acids, microbial protein and 16S RNA gene copy numbers of total bacteria and methanogens were determined.

Results

Compared to early bloom Alf, FG harvested at 11-wk exhibited higher (p<0.05) in vitro DM and neutral detergent fibre disappearance, but this difference was not observed between the mid-bloom Alf and 15-wk FG. Regardless plant maturity, in vitro ruminal fermentation of FG produced less (p<0.001) CH₄ either on DM incubated or on DM disappeared basis than that of Alf during 48-h incubation. In vitro ruminal fermentation of FG yielded similar amount of total volatile fatty acids with higher (p<0.05) propionate percentage as compared to fermentation of Alf irrespective of plant maturity. Microbial protein synthesis was greater (p<0.001) with 11-wk FG than early bloom Alf as substrate and 16S RNA gene copies of total bacteria was higher (p<0.01) with 15-wk FG than mid-bloom Alf as substrate. Compared to mid-bloom Alf, 15-wk FG had lower (p<0.05 to 0.001) amount of 16S RNA methanogen gene copies in the whole culture during 48-h incubation.

Conclusion

In comparison to Alf, FG emerges as a high quality forage that can not only improve rumen fermentation in vitro, but can also remarkably mitigate CH₄ emissions likely due to being rich in saponins.