scholarly journals Degradability and flow rate studies in sheep fed a basal diet of Katambora Rhodes grass hay (Chloris gayana), supplemented with Silverleaf desmodium (Desmodium uncinatum)

1995 ◽  
Vol 44 (Suppl. 1) ◽  
pp. 81-81
Author(s):  
KR Gono ◽  
JH Topps ◽  
NT Ngongoni ◽  
R. Chihora
2001 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 155 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. W. Karda ◽  
G. McL. Dryden

Tarramba leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala cv. Tarramba) foliage had per kilogram dry matter, 169 g protein and 29.8 g condensed tannins. Its value as a supplement, given either with or without urea, to sheep given a low-quality Callide Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana cv. Callide) hay was studied. Six rumen fistulated sheep (mean s.d. liveweight, 34 1.4 kg) were used to compare 6 dietary treatments in an incomplete latin square design. Rhodes grass hay was given ad libitum either alone, or with urea 7 g/day (U), or with leucaena 150 g/day (L150), or leucaena with urea (L150U), or leucaena 300 g/day (L300), or leucaena with urea (L300U). Digestible organic matter intake was increased significantly by leucaena supplementation although digestibility of the whole diet did not alter. Rumen fluid ammonia-N was not altered by leucaena supplementation, but was increased by urea. This suggests that Tarramba foliage protein has some resistance to ruminal degradation. Liquid and solids passage rates were not affected by the treatments. Microbial nitrogen supply to the intestine (g/day), and the efficiency of microbial nitrogen synthesis (g/kg organic matter apparently digested in the rumen), were increased by leucaena supplementation (P<0.01). Microbial protein synthesis was the only response in which 300 g/day air-dry Tarramba foliage gave improved results over 150 g/day.


Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 2097
Author(s):  
Bénédicte Suybeng ◽  
Edward Charmley ◽  
Christopher P. Gardiner ◽  
Bunmi S. Malau-Aduli ◽  
Aduli E.O. Malau-Aduli

The main objective of this study was to investigate the effect of supplementing beef cattle with incremental levels of Desmanthus leptophyllus cv. JCU1 and Desmanthus bicornutus cv. JCU4 on in vivo methane (CH4) emissions and the role of tannins in rumen fermentation. Fourteen yearling Droughtmaster steers were allocated to each of the two Desmanthus species and offered a basal diet of Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana) hay plus fresh Desmanthus at 0%, 15%, 22%, and 31% of dry matter intake (DMI). The 15% and 31% Desmanthus periods lasted 21 days and the 22 and 0% Desmanthus periods, 14 days. Methane production was measured by open-circuit gas exchange in the last two days of each period. The results showed a linear increase in DMI and reduction in CH4 yield with the increasing level of Desmanthus and subsequently condensed tannins in the diet. The added tannin binder polyethylene glycol-4000 did not affect CH4 yield but increased rumen NH3-N and iso-acid concentrations. Therefore, on a low-quality diet, Desmanthus has the potential to increase intake and reduce CH4 emissions. Even though its tannins can bind rumen proteins, the beef cattle anti-methanogenic response to supplementation with Desmanthus may be a combination of rumen fermentation and tannin effects.


2016 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
pp. 457 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. A. Ramírez-Restrepo ◽  
C. J. O'Neill ◽  
N. López-Villalobos ◽  
J. Padmanabha ◽  
J. K. Wang ◽  
...  

A 59-day experiment compared the effects of increasing tea seed (Camellia sinensis L.) saponin (TSS) supplementation on dry matter intake (DMI), liveweight (LW), rumen fermentation, methanogenesis, blood biochemistry and animal tolerance. Six, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 g of powder TSS were dissolved during 5, 7, 4, 3, 3 and 2 days, respectively, and infused into the rumen of four rumen-cannulated Brahman steers (234 ± 13.6 kg LW; least-squares means ± s.e.m.) or mixed in the basal diet [BD: 0.15 Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana) hay plus a high-grain feed (0.85)] of two non-cannulated (253 ± 19.3 kg) steers. Overall, DMI was not affected, by the sequential infusion of TSS (5.3 ± 0.15 kg) or addition to the BD (5.4 ± 0.18 kg), but relative to all diets, 6 g of TSS supplementation reduced DMI (P < 0.05), while the administration above 30 g of the supplement was associated with significantly (P < 0.001) reduced DMI, scours and bloat disorders. Clinical symptoms disappeared 8 days after withdrawal of the supplement. LW increased with time (P < 0.05) and the final LW was similar for cannulated (258 ± 13.6 kg) and non-cannulated (276 ± 19.3 kg) steers. Saponin supplementation reduced total volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration (P < 0.05), modified pattern of individual molar VFA concentrations and moderately increased ruminal pH (P < 0.05). Cannulated and non-cannulated steers fed the BD had similar daily (g) methane or yield (CH4 g/kg DMI) emissions while in respiratory chambers. However, compared with cannulated (8.0 ± 1.20 ng/mL) animals, the addition of 30 g of TSS in the BD increased (P < 0.01) blood CH4 concentration in non-cannulated (15.6 ± 1.74 ng/mL) animals. Diets supplemented with 30 g of TSS were associated with higher chloride (P < 0.01) and alkaline phosphatase (P < 0.05) blood concentrations, and lower serum concentrations of potassium and urea nitrogen (P < 0.01), iron and total lipase (P < 0.05), than was the BD. It was concluded that higher levels of TSS supplement may evoke physiological changes in the animal. However, the potential CH4 mitigation effect of this form of saponin in tropical cattle needs further investigation, alongside the derived response of the rumen microbial ecology to the tested range of supplementation.


Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 943
Author(s):  
Bénédicte Suybeng ◽  
Felista W. Mwangi ◽  
Christopher S. McSweeney ◽  
Edward Charmley ◽  
Christopher P. Gardiner ◽  
...  

The main objective of this study was to compare the effect of supplementing beef cattle with Desmanthus virgatus cv. JCU2, D. bicornutus cv. JCU4, D. leptophyllus cv. JCU7 and lucerne on in vivo methane (CH4) emissions measured by open-circuit respiration chambers (OC) or the GreenFeed emission monitoring (GEM) system. Experiment 1 employed OC and utilized sixteen yearling Brangus steers fed a basal diet of Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana) hay in four treatments—the three Desmanthus cultivars and lucerne (Medicago sativa) at 30% dry matter intake (DMI). Polyethylene glycol (PEG) was added to the diets to neutralize tannin binding and explore the effect on CH4 emissions. Experiment 2 employed GEM and utilized forty-eight animals allocated to four treatments including a basal diet of Rhodes grass hay plus the three Desmanthus cultivars in equal proportions at 0, 15, 30 and 45% DMI. Lucerne was added to equilibrate crude protein content in all treatments. Experiment 1 showed no difference in CH4 emissions between the Desmanthus cultivars, between Desmanthus and lucerne or between Desmanthus and the basal diet. Experiment 2 showed an increase in CH4 emissions in the three levels containing Desmanthus. It is concluded that on high-quality diets, Desmanthus does not reduce CH4 emissions.


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