Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-lj6df Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-16T11:17:24.608Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Effects of species-diverse high-alpine forage on in vitro ruminal fermentation when used as donor cow's feed or directly incubated

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 April 2012

R. Khiaosa-ard ,
C. R. Soliva ,
M. Kreuzer  and
F. Leiber
R. Khiaosa-ard
Affiliation:
ETH Zurich, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Universitaetstrasse 2, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
C. R. Soliva
Affiliation:
ETH Zurich, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Universitaetstrasse 2, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
M. Kreuzer*
Affiliation:
ETH Zurich, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Universitaetstrasse 2, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
F. Leiber
Affiliation:
ETH Zurich, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Universitaetstrasse 2, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
*
†E-mail: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

Alpine forages are assumed to have specific effects on ruminal digestion when fed to cattle. These effects were investigated in an experiment from two perspectives, either by using such forages as a substrate for incubation or as feed for a rumen fluid donor cow. In total, six 24-h in vitro batch culture runs were performed. Rumen fluid was collected from a non-lactating donor cow after having grazed pastures at ∼2000 m above sea level for 2, 6 and 10 weeks. These ‘alpine runs’ were compared with three lowland samplings from before and 2 and 6 weeks after the alpine grazing where a silage–concentrate mix was fed. In each run, nine replicates of four forages each were incubated. These forages differed in type and origin (alpine hay, lowland ryegrass hay, grass–maize silage mix, pure hemicellulose) as well as in the content of nutrients. Concentrations of phenolic compounds in the incubated forages were (g/kg dry matter (DM)): 20 (tannin proportion: 0.47), 8 (0.27), 15 (0.52) and 0 (0), respectively. Crude protein was highest in the silage mix and lowest with hemicellulose, whereas the opposite was the case for fiber. The total phenol contents (g/kg DM) for the high altitude and the lowland diet of the donor cow were 27 (tannins: 0.50 of phenols) and 12 (0.27), respectively. Independent of the origin of the rumen fluid, the incubation with alpine hay decreased (P < 0.05) bacterial counts, fermentation gas amount, volatile fatty acid (VFA) production as well as ammonia and methane concentrations in fermentation gas (the latter two being not lower when compared with hemicellulose). Alpine grazing of the cow in turn increased (P < 0.001) bacterial counts and, to a lesser extent, acetate proportion compared with lowland feeding. Further, alpine grazing decreased protozoal count (P < 0.05) and VFA production (P < 0.001) to a small extent, whereas methane remained widely unchanged. There were interactions (P < 0.05) between forage type incubated and feeding period of the donor cow in protozoal counts, acetate:propionate ratio, fermentation gas production and its content of methane, in vitro organic matter digestibility and metabolizable energy. Although increased phenolic compounds were the most consistent common property of the applied alpine forages, a clear attribution to certain effects was not possible in this study. As a further result, adaptation (long-term for donor cow, short term for 24 h incubations) appears to influence the expression of alpine forage effects in ruminal fermentation.

Keywords

rumenmountain pasturebiodiversityphenolsmethane
Type
Nutrition
Information
animal , Volume 6 , Issue 11 , November 2012 , pp. 1764 - 1773
Copyright
Copyright © The Animal Consortium 2012

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Association of Official Analytical Chemists 1997. Official methods of analysis. AOAC, Arlington, VA, USA.Google Scholar
Benchaar, C, McAllister, TA, Chouinard, PY 2008. Digestion, ruminal fermentation, ciliate protozoal populations, and milk production from dairy cows fed cinnamaldehyde, quebracho condensed tannin, or Yucca schidigera saponin extracts. Journal of Dairy Science 91, 4765–4777.Google Scholar
Berry, NR, Scheeder, MRL, Sutter, F, Kröber, TF, Kreuzer, M 2000. The accuracy of intake estimation based on the use of alkane controlled-release capsules and faeces grab sampling in cows. Annales de Zootechnie 49, 3–13.Google Scholar
Bhatt, N, Singh, M, Ali, A 2009. Effect of feeding herbal preparations on milk yield and rumen parameters in lactating crossbred cows. International Journal of Agriculture and Biology 11, 721–726.Google Scholar
Cardozo, PW, Calsamiglia, S, Ferret, A, Kamel, C 2004. Effects of natural plant extracts on ruminal protein degradation and fermentation profiles in continuous culture. Journal of Animal Science 82, 3230–3236.Google Scholar
Carulla, JE, Kreuzer, M, Machmüller, A, Hess, HD 2005. Supplementation of Acacia mearnsii tannins decreases methanogenesis and urinary nitrogen in forage-fed sheep. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 56, 961–970.Google Scholar
Cortés, JE, Moreno, B, Pabón, ML, Avila, P, Kreuzer, M, Hess, HD, Carulla J, E 2009. Effects of purified condensed tannins extracted from Calliandra, Flemingia and Leucaena on ruminal and postruminal degradation of soybean meal as estimated in vitro. Animal Feed Science and Technology 151, 194–204.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dijkstra, J 1994. Simulation of the dynamics of protozoa in the rumen. British Journal of Nutrition 72, 679–699.Google Scholar
Ehrlich, GG, Goerlitz, DF, Bourell, JH, Eisen, GV, Godsy, EM 1981. Liquid chromatographic procedure for fermentation product analysis in the identification of anaerobic bacteria. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 42, 878–886.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fraisse, D, Carnat, A, Viala, D, Pradel, P, Besle, J-M, Coulon, J-B, Felgines, C, Lamaison, J-L 2007. Polyphenolic composition of a permanent pasture: Variations related to the period of harvesting. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 87, 2427–2435.Google Scholar
Franzolin, R, Dehority, BA 1996. Effects of prolonged high-concentrate feeding on ruminal protozoa concentration. Journal of Animal Science 74, 2803–2809.Google Scholar
García-González, R, López, S, Fernández, M, Bodas, R, González, JS 2008. Screening the activity of plants and species for decreasing ruminal methane production in vitro. Animal Feed Science and Technology 147, 36–52.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grubb, JA, Dehority, BA 1975. Effects of an abrupt change in ration from all roughage to high concentrate upon rumen microbial numbers in sheep. Applied Microbiololgy 30, 404–412.Google Scholar
Hess, H-D, Kreuzer, M, Díaz, TE, Lascano, CE, Carulla, JE, Soliva, CR, Machmüller, A 2003. Saponin rich tropical fruits affect fermentation and methanogenesis in faunated and defaunated rumen fluid. Animal Feed Science and Technology 109, 79–94.Google Scholar
Jayanegara, A, Togtokhbayar, N, Makkar, HPS, Becker, K 2009. Tannins determined by various methods as predictors of methane production reduction potential of plants by an in vitro rumen fermentation system. Animal Feed Science and Technology 150, 230–237.Google Scholar
Jayanegara, A, Marquardt, S, Kreuzer, M, Leiber, F 2011a. Nutrient and energy content, in vitro ruminal fermentation characteristics and methanogenic potential of alpine forage plant species during early summer. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 91, 1863–1870.Google Scholar
Jayanegara, A, Wina, E, Soliva, CR, Marquardt, S, Kreuzer, M, Leiber, F 2011b. Dependence of forage quality and methanogenic potential of tropical plants on their phenolic fractions as determined by principal component analysis. Animal Feed Science and Technology 163, 231–243.Google Scholar
Jeangros, B, Scehovic, J, Troxler, J, Bachmann, HJ, Bosset, JO 1999. Comparison of the botanical and chemical characteristics of grazed pastures, in lowlands and in the mountains. Fourrages 159, 277–292.Google Scholar
Kamra, DN, Agarwal, N, Chaudhary, LC 2006. Inhibition of ruminal methanogenesis by tropical plants containing secondary compounds. In Greenhouse gases and animal agriculture: an update (ed. CR Soliva, J Takahasi and M Kreuzer), International Congress Series No. 1293, pp. 156–163. Elsevier, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.Google Scholar
Khiaosa-ard, R, Leiber, F, Soliva, CR 2010. Emulsifying methods for linoleic acid in biohydrogenation studies in vitro may bias the resulting fatty acid profiles. Lipids 45, 651–657.Google Scholar
Khiaosa-ard, R, Bryner, SF, Scheeder, MRL, Wettstein, H-R, Leiber, F, Kreuzer, M, Soliva, CR 2009. Evidence for the inhibition of the terminal step of ruminal α-linolenic acid biohydrogenation by condensed tannins. Journal of Dairy Science 92, 177–188.Google Scholar
Leiber, F, Wettstein, H-R, Kreuzer, M 2009. Is the intrinsic potassium content of forages an important factor in intake regulation of dairy cows? Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition 93, 391–399.Google Scholar
Leiber, F, Kreuzer, M, Leuenberger, H, Wettstein, H-R 2006. Contribution of diet type and pasture conditions to the influence of high altitude grazing on intake, performance and composition and renneting properties of the milk of cows. Animal Research 55, 37–53.Google Scholar
Leiber, F, Kreuzer, M, Nigg, D, Wettstein, H-R, Scheeder, MRL 2005. A study on the causes for the elevated n-3 fatty acids in cow's milk of alpine origin. Lipids 40, 191–202.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Littell, RC, Henry, PR, Ammerman, CB 1998. Statistical analysis of repeated measures data using SAS procedures. Journal of Animal Science 76, 1216–1231.Google Scholar
López, S, Makkar, HPS, Soliva, CR 2010. Screening plants and plant products for methane inhibitors. In In vitro screening of plant resources for extra-nutritional attributes in ruminants: nuclear and related methodologies (ed. PE Vercoe, HPS Makkar and AC Schlink), pp. 191–231. Springer, Dordrecht, the Netherlands.Google Scholar
Maia, MRG, Chaudhary, LC, Figueres, L, Wallace, RJ 2007. Metabolism of polyunsaturated fatty acids and their toxicity to the microflora of the rumen. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek 91, 303–314.Google Scholar
Makkar, HPS, Blümmel, M, Becker, K 1995. In vitro effects of and interaction between tannins and saponins and fate of tannins in the rumen. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 69, 481–493.Google Scholar
Makkar, HPS, Francis, G, Becker, K 2007. Bioactivity of phytochemicals in some lesser-known plants and their effects and potential applications in livestock and aquaculture production systems. Animal 1, 1371–1391.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Martínez, ME, Ranilla, MJ, Tejido, ML, Saro, C, Carro, MD 2010. The effect of the diet fed to donor sheep on in vitro methane production and ruminal fermentation of diets of variable composition. Animal Feed Science and Technology 158, 126–135.Google Scholar
Menke, KH, Steingass, H 1988. Estimation of the energetic feed value obtained from chemical analysis and in vitro gas production using rumen fluid. Animal Research in Development 28, 7–55.Google Scholar
Muetzel, S, Becker, K 2006. Extractability and biological activity of tannins from various tree leaves determined by chemical and biological assays as affected by drying procedure. Animal Feed Science and Technology 125, 139–149.Google Scholar
Nagadi, S, Herrero, M, Jessop, NS 2000. The influence of diet of the donor animal on the initial bacterial concentration of ruminal fluid and in vitro gas production degradability parameters. Animal Feed Science and Technology 87, 231–239.Google Scholar
Palmquist, DL, Jenkins, TC 2003. Challenges with fats and fatty acid methods. Journal of Animal Science 81, 3250–3254.Google Scholar
Patra, AK, Kamra, DN, Agarwal, N 2006. Effect of plant extracts on in vitro methanogenesis, enzyme activities and fermentation of feed in rumen liquor of buffalo. Animal Feed Science and Technology 128, 276–291.Google Scholar
Śliwiński, BJ, Soliva, CR, Machmüller, A, Kreuzer, M 2002. Efficacy of plant extracts rich in secondary constituents to modify rumen fermentation. Animal Feed Science and Technology 101, 101–114.Google Scholar
Smith, AH, Zoetendal, E, Mackie, I 2005. Bacterial mechanisms to overcome inhibitory effects of dietary tannins. Microbial Ecology 50, 197–205.Google Scholar
Soliva, CR, Hess, HD 2007. Measuring methane emission of ruminants by in vitro and in vivo techniques. In Measuring methane production from ruminants (ed. HPS Makkar and PE Vercoe), pp. 15–31. Springer, Dordrecht, the Netherlands.Google Scholar
Soliva, CR, Zekele, AB, Clément, C, Hess, HD, Fievez, V, Kreuzer, M 2008. In vitro screening of various tropical foliages, seeds, fruits and medicinal plants for low methane and high ammonia generating potentials in the rumen. Animal Feed Science and Technology 147, 53–71.Google Scholar
Tejido, ML, Ranilla, MJ, Carro, MD 2002. In vitro digestibility of forages as influenced by source of inoculum (sheep rumen versus Rusitec fermenters) and diet of the donor sheep. Animal Feed Science and Technology 97, 41–51.Google Scholar
van Dorland, HA, Wettstein, HR, Kreuzer, M 2006. Species-rich swards of the Alps – constraints and opportunities for dairy production. In Fresh herbage for dairy cattle: the key to a sustainable food chain (ed. A Elgersma, J Dijkstra and S Tamminga), pp. 27–43. Springer/Frontis, Wageningen, the Netherlands.Google Scholar
Van Soest, PJ, Robertson, JB, Lewis, BA 1991. Methods for dietary fiber, neutral detergent fiber, and nonstarch polysaccharides in relation to animal nutrition. Journal of Dairy Science 74, 3583–3597.Google Scholar
Vasta, V, Yáňez-Ruiz, DR, Mele, M, Serra, A, Luciano, G, Lanza, M, Biondi, L, Priolo, A 2010. Bacterial and protozoal communities and fatty acid profile in the rumen of sheep fed a diet containing added tannins. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 76, 2549–2555.Google Scholar