Fermentation Patterns, Methane Production and Microbial Population under In Vitro Conditions from Two Unconventional Feed Resources Incorporated in Ruminant Diets

• Published in: Animals (Basel) Vol. 13; no. 18; p. 2940
• Main Authors: Araiza Ponce, Karina A., Gurrola Reyes, J. Natividad, Martínez Estrada, Sandra C., Salas Pacheco, José M., Palacios Torres, Javier, Murillo Ortiz, Manuel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.09.2023; MDPI
• Subjects: ammonia; Analytical chemistry; Carbon dioxide; Cattle; Emissions; Fermentation; Gases; Greenhouse gases; in vitro fermentation; Leucaena leucocephala; Livestock; Methane; microbial population; Phenols; pricky pear; Production management; Protozoa; Mexico; United States > US
• ISSN: 2076-2615; 2076-2615
• DOI: 10.3390/ani13182940

In this study, four experimental treatments were evaluated: (T1) alfalfa hay + concentrate, (50:50%, DM); (T2) alfalfa hay + Leucaena leucocephala + concentrate, (30:20:50%, DM); (T3) alfalfa hay + prickly pear + concentrate, (30:20:50%, DM); and (T4) alfalfa hay + Leucaena leucocephala + prickly pear + concentrate, (30:10:10:50%, DM). NH3-N concentrations in T2 and T4 decreased when replaced with alfalfa hay in 20 and 10%, respectively. Treatments did not affect the concentration of total volatile fatty acids (TVFA) between T3 and T4 (p > 0.05), while the concentrations among T1 and T2 were different (p < 0.05). T2 showed a reduction of 25.5% in the methane production when compared to T1 (p < 0.05). The lowest concentrations of protozoa were observed in T2 and T4, which contained Leucaena leucocephala (T2) and Leucaena leucocephala + prickly pear (T4) (p < 0.05). The highest concentration of total methanogens was recorded in T1 and was different in T2, T3, and T4 (p < 0.05). Leucaena leucocephala, at an inclusion percentage of 20%, decreased the methane when compared to T1, whereas prickly pear increased methane production in relation to T1.