Changed Rumen Fermentation, Blood Parameters, and Microbial Population in Fattening Steers Receiving a High Concentrate Diet with Saccharomyces cerevisiae Improve Growth Performance

The effect of dry yeast (DY) (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) supplementation in a high-concentrate diet was evaluated for rumen fermentation, blood parameters, microbial populations, and growth performance in fattening steers. Sixteen crossbred steers (Charolais x American Brahman) at 375 ± 25 kg live weight were divided into four groups that received DY supplementation at 0, 5, 10, and 15 g/hd/d using a completely randomized block design. Basal diets were fed as a total mixed ration (roughage to concentrate ratio of 30:70). Results showed that supplementation with DY improved dry matter (DM) intake and digestibility of organic matter (OM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) (p < 0.05), but DM and crude protein (CP) were similar among treatments (p > 0.05). Ruminal pH (>6.0) of fattening steer remained stable (p > 0.05), and pH was maintained at or above 6.0 with DY. The concentration of propionic acid (C3) increased (p < 0.05) with 10 and 15 g/hd/d DY supplementation, while acetic acid (C2) and butyric acid (C4) decreased. Methane (CH4) production in the rumen decreased as DY increased (p < 0.05). Fibrobacter succinogenes and Ruminococcus flavefaciens populations increased (p < 0.05), whereas protozoal and methanogen populations decreased with DY addition at 10 and 15 g/hd/d, while Ruminococcus albus did not change (p > 0.05) among the treatments. Adding DY at 10 and 15 g/hd/d improved growth performance. Thus, the addition of DY to fattening steers with a high concentrate diet improved feed intake, nutrient digestibility, rumen ecology, and growth performance, while mitigating ruminal methane production.

Comparative effect of garlic (Allium sativum) and ginger (Zingiber officinale) and their combination on growth, rumen ecology and apparent nutrient digestibility in sheep

Manipulation of rumen environment using herbal mixtures with antioxidant and antibacterial potentials will improve rumen health and animal productivity. This study undertook to assess the effect of supplementing garlic and ginger powder and their combination on rumen ecology and nutrient utilization of sheep. Sixteen mixed breed rams were allotted to four experimental diets in a completely randomized design. The experiment lasted for 91 days. The four diets were Control (No garlic or ginger powder), gap (garlic powder 2.5 g/kg diet), gip (ginger powder 2.5 g/kg diet) GGP (garlic powder 1.25 g/kg diet + ginger powder 1.25 g/kg diet). Data on rumen ph, metabolites, microbial count, and isolation, nutrient digestibility was statistically analyzed using one-way analysis of variance as provided in the GLM of SPSS (version 23). Results revealed an increase (p<0.05) indaily weight change, rumen total volatile fatty acids (tvfas), acetate, propionate and butyrate, bacteria count, gram-negative bacteria, fungi species such as Rhizopus sp., apparent digestibilities of dry matter (DM), ash, NDF and ADF with supplementation of garlic and/or ginger and their combination. The combination of garlic and ginger gave a comparative better (p<0.05) result in some of the parameters than either garlic or ginger singly. It was concluded that a combination of 1.25 g/kg diet of garlic and ginger each would achieve an overall better performance of the rumen that feeding 2.5 g/kg diet of garlic or ginger singly. La manipulation de l'environnement du rumen à l'aide de mélanges d'herbes aux potentiels antioxydants et antibactériens améliorera la santé du rumen et la productivité animale. Cette étude a entrepris d'évaluer l'effet de la supplémentation en poudre d'ail et de gingembre et leur combinaison sur l'écologie du rumen et l'utilisation des nutriments des moutons. Seize béliers de races mixtes ont été attribués à quatre régimes expérimentaux dans une conception complètement aléatoire. L'expérience a duré 91 jours. Les quatre régimes étaient Contrôle (sans ail ni gingembre en poudre), le 'gap' (ail en poudre 2.5 g / kg régime), le 'gip' (gingembre en poudre 2.5 g / kg régime) le 'GGP' (ail en poudre 1.25 g / kg régime + gingembre en poudre 1.25 g / kg régime). Les données sur le pH du rumen, les métabolites, la numération microbienne et l'isolement, la digestibilité des nutriments ont été analyses statistiquement en utilisant une analyse unidirectionnelle de la variance telle que fournie dans le GLM de SPSS (version 23). Les résultats ont révélé une augmentation (p <0.05) du changement de poids quotidien, des acides gras volatils totaux du rumen (tvfas), de l'acétate, du propionate et du butyrate, du nombre de bactéries, des bactéries gram-négatives, des espèces de champignons comme Rhizopussp., Des digestibilités apparentes de la matière sèche, cendres, le 'NDF' et le 'ADF' avec supplémentation en ail et / ou gingembre et leur combinaison. La combinaison d'ail et de gingembre a donné un meilleur résultat comparative (p <0.05) pour certains des paramètres que l'ail ou le gingembre seuls. Il a été conclu qu'une combinaison de 1.25 g / kg de régime d'ail et de gingembre chacun permettrait d'obtenir une meilleure performance globale du rumen qu'une alimentation de 2.5 g / kg d'ail ou de gingembre séparément.

Seasonal and Nutrient Supplement Responses in Rumen Microbiota Structure and Metabolites of Tropical Rangeland Cattle

This study aimed to characterize the rumen microbiota structure of cattle grazing in tropical rangelands throughout seasons and their responses in rumen ecology and productivity to a N-based supplement during the dry season. Twenty pregnant heifers grazing during the dry season of northern Australia were allocated to either N-supplemented or un-supplemented diets and monitored through the seasons. Rumen fluid, blood, and feces were analyzed before supplementation (mid-dry season), after two months supplementation (late-dry season), and post supplementation (wet season). Supplementation increased average daily weight gain (ADWG), rumen NH3–N, branched fatty acids, butyrate and acetic:propionic ratio, and decreased plasma δ15N. The supplement promoted bacterial populations involved in hemicellulose and pectin degradation and ammonia assimilation: Bacteroidales BS11, Cyanobacteria, and Prevotella spp. During the dry season, fibrolytic populations were promoted: the bacteria Fibrobacter, Cyanobacteria and Kiritimatiellaeota groups; the fungi Cyllamyces; and the protozoa Ostracodinium. The wet season increased the abundances of rumen protozoa and fungi populations, with increases of bacterial families Lachnospiraceae, Ruminococcaceae, and Muribaculaceae; the protozoa Entodinium and Eudiplodinium; the fungi Pecoramyces; and the archaea Methanosphera. In conclusion, the rumen microbiota of cattle grazing in a tropical grassland is distinctive from published studies that mainly describe ruminants consuming better quality diets.