• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.11
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• pp.1784-1793
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• 2021

Objective: An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of bamboo leaf extract (BLE) on the production performance, rumen fermentation parameters, and rumen bacterial communities of heat-stressed dairy cows. Methods: The experiment comprised a 14-day adaptation period and a 21-day experimental period and was conducted in a high-temperature and humidity environment (daily mean ambient temperature = 33.5℃±1.3℃; daily mean relative humidity = 64.9%±0.8%, daily mean temperature-humidity index = 86.2±0.4). Twelve Holstein dairy cows were randomly allocated into two groups. A total mixed ration supplemented with BLE at 0 (CON) and 1.3 g/kg dry matter (DM) were fed, respectively. Feed intake and milk yield were recorded daily. Milk samples were collected on 1, 11, and 21 d of the experimental period to analyze milk performance. Rumen fluid samples were collected on 21 d of the experimental period to analyze rumen fermentation parameters and rumen bacterial communities. Results: Compared with the control group, supplementation of BLE increased milk yield (p<0.01), milk fat yield (p = 0.04), 4% fat-corrected milk (p<0.01) and milk fat content (p<0.01); reduced somatic cell count (p<0.01). No differences in DM intake and milk protein or lactose content were observed between two groups. Supplementation of BLE also increased the rumen total volatile fatty acid (p<0.01), acetate (p<0.01), butyrate (p<0.01), and valerate (p = 0.05) concentrations. However, no significant effects were observed on rumen pH, ammonia nitrogen, propionate, acetate/propionate ratio, isobutyrate, or isovalerate. Furthermore, BLE increased the rumen bacterial abundance and the diversity of the rumen bacterial community. The BLE reduced the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes abundance ratio and increased the abundances of Butyrivibrio_2 (p<0.01) and Ruminococcus_2 (p<0.01). Conclusion: The BLE supplementation at 1.3 g/kg DM could improve production performance and rumen fermentation in dairy cows during heat stress.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.901-916
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• 2017

This study was conducted to evaluate natural plant extracts for methane gas reduction in ruminants. Rumen fluid was collected from cannulated Hanwoo cow ($450{\pm}30kg$) consuming 400 g/kg concentrate and 600 g/kg timothy. The 15 ml of mixture comparing McDougall's buffer and rumen fluid in the ratio 2 to 1, was dispensed anaerobically into 50 ml serum bottles. Rumen fluid contents were collected and in vitro fermentation prepared control (timothy, 300 mg), ginseng, balloon flower, yucca plant, camellia, tea plant and ogapi extracts were added at the level of 5% against 300 mg of timothy as a substrate (v/w) and incubated for 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h. In vitro pH values range 6.55~7.41, this range include rumen titration. The dry matter digestibility was not differ between all treatments and control. Total gas emission was significantly higher (p<0.05) in ginseng and balloon flower treatments on 24 h than in control. Carbon dioxide emission was not differ all treatments on 9 h than in control and significantly higher (p<0.05) yucca plant, camellia and tea plant treatments on 12 h than control. Methane emission was not differ all treatments on 6 h than in control. The rumen microbial growth rate was significantly higher (p<0.05) in ginseng, balloon flower on 12 h and significantly higher (p<0.05) in ginseng, yucca plant, tea plant and ogapi treatments on 24 h than in control. Total VFA was significantly higher (p<0.05) in tea plant and ogapi treatments on 12 h than in control and significantly higher (p<0.05) in ginseng, balloon flower treatments on 48 h than in control. Acetic acid was significantly lower (p<0.05) in ginseng and balloon flower treatments on 24 h than in control. Propionic acid was significantly higher (p<0.05) in ginseng and balloon flower treatments on 48 h than in control. As a results, sixth natural plant extracts had no significant effect dry matter digestibility and negative on rumen fermentation, but not effect methane reduction.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.11
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• pp.1625-1633
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• 2003

This study was conducted to observe effects of dietary acidogenicity value (AV) on rumen fermentation characteristics and nutrients digestibility. The AV of feedstuffs was based on the dissolution of Ca from $CaCO_3$ powder added at the end of a 24 h in vitro fermentation. Three diets were formulated to be iso-energetic and iso-nitrogenous with different AV. Two experiments were involved in this study. In experiment 1, it appears that pH, $NH_3-N$ concentration and A:P ratio tended to decrease, but gas production, VFA production and DM disappearance tended to increase with increasing dietary AV. In experiment 2, the rumen pH tended to decrease in order of high AV>medium AV>low AV treatment, respectively. There were no significant effects of dietary AV on $NH_3-N$ concentration, enzyme activity and nutrient digestibility. In addition, total VFA and individual VFA concentrations tended to increase with increasing dietary AV without significance. In fact, we hypothesized that different dietary AV would affect rumen fermentation and nutrients digestibility because dietary AV was adjusted with fermentable carbohydrate sources. The present results indicate that differences in dietary AV between treatments were too small to affect rumen fermentation and its effects were minimal.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.10
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• pp.1435-1439
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• 2005

Bacterio-mineral water (BMW) produced from manure has been known to exert a number of positive effects on animal production and odor control. An experiment was conducted to examine the effects of BMW produced from bio-reacted swine manure on in vitro gas production, cellulose degradation, microbial growth and fibrolytic enzyme activities of mixed rumen microorganisms. The five levels of 0, 0.001, 0.005, 0.01 and 1.0% BMW were supplemented into serum vials containing mixed rumen microorganisms. Incubations were carried out anaerobically at $39^{\circ}C$ without shaking for 0, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h. There were no significant (p>0.05) differences among the treatments for the initial rate of gas production. At 72 h incubation, the gas production tended (p<0.1) to be increased by the 0.01 and 1.0% BMW treatments compared with control and the 0.001% BMW treatment. At the end of incubation (96 h), the sample supplemented with 0.01% BMW was higher (p<0.05) than control (0% BMW) in the gas production. The microbial growth rate was increased by all the BMW treatments, while 0.01% BMW was most effective in stimulating the growth rate. Although the addition of BMW on the filter paper DM degradation was not significantly influenced throughout the incubation period except the 48 h incubation, DM degradation tended to be increased by all BMW treatments compared with control. The addition of both 0.005 and 0.01% BMW highly increased (p<0.05) CMCase activity compared with control after 24 h and 48 h incubation, while at the 72 h incubation the 0.01% BMW addition only significantly increased (p<0.05). After 72 h incubation, the xylanase activity was significantly (p<0.05) increased with the addition of 1.0% BMW compared with the addition of 0.001 and 0.005% BMW, while at the other incubation times, the xylanase activity was not different among the treatments. In conclusion, the 0.01% BMW of supplementation level would be the suitable addition level to stimulate rumen fermentation increasing microbial growth and cellulose degradation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.7
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• pp.974-978
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• 2001

The effect of three varying ratios (high, medium and low) of Rumen Degradable Protein (RDP) to Undegradable Dietary Protein (UDP) of 37:63, 52:48 and 70:30 in iso-nitrogenous and iso-caloric concentrate mixtures on rumen fermentation profile was studied using rumen fistulated Jersey crossbred cows. Rumen pH and ammonia nitrogen concentration were found to be lower with a concentrate mixture containing a higher UDP level of 63.38% when compared with those having medium and low UDP levels of 47.55 and 29.75%, respectively, at all post feeding intervals. Total volatile fatty acid concentration as well as concentrations of individual fatty acids viz., acetate, propionate and butyrate were also found higher in animals fed concentrate mixture with the highest UDP level.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.96-114
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• 2000

Genetically selected beef cattle are fed high-energy diets in intensive production systems developed in industrial countries. This type of feeding can induce rumen dysfunctions that have to be corrected by farmers to optimise cost-effectiveness. The risk of rumen acidosis can be reduced by using slowly degradable starch, which partly escapes rumen fermentation and goes on to be digested in the small intestine. Additives are proposed to stabilise the rumen pH and restrict lactate accumulation, thus favouring the growth of cellulolytic bacteria and stimulating the digestion of the dietary plant cell wall fraction. This enhances the energy value of feeds when animals are fed maize silage for example. Supplementation of lipids to increase energy intake is known to influence the population of rumen protozoa and some associated rumen functions such as cellulolysis and proteolysis. The end products of rumen fermentation are also changed. Lipolysis and hydrogenation by rumen microbes alter the form of fatty acids supplied to animals. This effect is discussed in relation with the quality of lipids in beef and the implications for human health. Conditions for optimising the amount of amino acids from microbial proteins and dietary by-pass proteins flowing to the duodenum of ruminants, and their impact on beef production, are also examined.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.1482-1486
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• 2003

In order to compare effects of feeding systems on rumen fermentation characteristics and nutrient digestion, steers were fed either total mixed ration (TMR) or separate concentrate-roughage ration (CR). Total tract digestibility of nutrients was higher in steers receiving TMR. Especially, DM, ADF and NDF in TMR were digested to a greater extent than those in CR. Rumen pH was not influenced by the feeding systems. Holstein steers on TMR had higher ruminal $NH_3$-N than those on CR. Feeding system did not alter VFA production but TMR feeding resulted in lower A/P ratio. TMR feeding tended to increase the number of bacteria and protozoa in the rumen fluid. Also steers fed TMR generally had higher fiber degrading enzyme activities, which might be the result of increased number of cellulolytic microbes in the rumen of animals on TMR. Our results indicate that TMR may provide more favorable condition for nutrient digestion both in the rumen and in the total tract of steers.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.206-212
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• 2013

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of biological membrane transfer modifier, lysophospholipd (LPLs) on the parameters from in vitro rumen simulated fermentation. Commercially available LPLs product (Lipidol$^{TM}$) was supplemented into experimental diets which consisted of orchard grass and concentrate diet (60:40) in different levels (0.1%, 0.3% and 0.5%). Then in vitro rumen simulated fermentation was performed. Although, a declining trend of pH was found in treatments, all pH values were detected in a range relevant to normal rumen fermentation. Gas production, ammonia nitrogen and total VFA production were greatly influenced by the supplementation of LPLs. All parameters were increased along with increased levels of LPLs in diet. As a result, 0.1% of Lipidol$^{TM}$ is recommended based on the determined in vitro rumen fermentative parameters in this study.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.471-478
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• 2011

The objectives were to compare the ability of various rumen microbial fractions to reduce nitrate and to assess the effect of nitrate on in vitro fermentation characteristics. Physical and chemical methods were used to differentiate the rumen microbial population into the following fractions: whole rumen fluid (WRF), protozoa (Pr), bacteria (Ba), and fungi (Fu). The three nitrogen substrate treatments were as follows: no supplemental nitrogen source, nitrate or urea, with the latter two being isonitrogenous additions. The results showed that during 24 h incubation, WRF, Pr and Ba fractions had an ability to reduce nitrate, and the rate of nitrate disappearance for the Pr fraction was similar to the WRF fraction, while the Ba fraction needed an adaptation period of 12 h before rapid nitrate disappearance. The WRF fraction had the greatest methane ($CH_4$) production and the Pr fraction had the greatest prevailing $H_2$ concentration (p<0.05). Compared to the urea treatment, nitrate diminished net gas and $CH_4$ production during incubation (p<0.05), and ammonia-N ($NH_3$-N) concentration (p<0.01). Nitrate also increased acetate, decreased propionate and decreased butyrate molar proportions (p<0.05). The Pr fraction had the highest acetate to propionate ratio (p<0.05). The Pr fraction as well as the Ba fraction appears to have an important role in nitrate reduction. Nitrate did not consistently alter total VFA concentration, but it did shift the VFA profile to higher acetate, lower propionate and lower butyrate molar proportions, consistent with less $CH_4$ production by all microbial fractions.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.9
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• pp.1285-1292
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• 2014

An in vitro experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of Aspergillus oryzae culture (AOC) and 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)-butanoic acid (HMB) on rumen fermentation and microbial populations between different roughage sources. Two roughage sources (Chinese wild rye [CWR] vs corn silage [CS]) were assigned in a $2{\times}3$ factorial arrangement with HMB (0 or 15 mg) and AOC (0, 3, or 6 mg). Gas production (GP), microbial protein (MCP) and total volatile fatty acid (VFA) were increased in response to addition of HMB and AOC (p<0.01) for the two roughages. The HMB and AOC showed inconsistent effects on ammonia-N with different substrates. For CWR, neither HMB nor AOC had significant effect on molar proportion of individual VFA. For CS, acetate was increased (p = 0.02) and butyrate was decreased (p<0.01) by adding HMB and AOC. Increase of propionate was only occurred with AOC (p<0.01). Populations of protozoa ($p{\leq}0.03$) and fungi ($p{\leq}0.02$) of CWR were differently influenced by HMB and AOC. Percentages of F. succinogenes, R. albus, and R. flavefaciens (p<0.01) increased when AOC was added to CWR. For CS, HMB decreased the protozoa population (p = 0.01) and increased the populations of F. succinogenes and R. albus ($p{\leq}0.03$). Populations of fungi, F. succinogenes (p = 0.02) and R. flavefacien (p = 0.03) were increased by adding AOC. The HMB${\times}$AOC interactions were noted in MCP, fungi and R. flavefacien for CWR and GP, ammonia-N, MCP, total VFA, propionate, acetate/propionate (A/P) and R. albus for CS. It is inferred that addition of HMB and AOC could influence rumen fermentation of forages by increasing the number of rumen microbes.