Journal
TROPICAL ANIMAL HEALTH AND PRODUCTION
Volume 50, Issue 1, Pages 29-36Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s11250-017-1396-3
Keywords
Greenhouse gas; Secondary compounds; Ruminant nutrition
Funding
- CONACYT-Mexico at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Yucatan, Merida, Mexico
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The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of quebracho tannins extract (QTE) on feed intake, dry matter (DM) digestibility, and methane (CH4) emissions in cattle fed low-quality Pennisetum purpureum grass. Five heifers (Bos taurus x Bos indicus) with an average live weight (LW) of 295 +/- 19 kg were allotted to five treatments (0, 1, 2, 3, and 4% QTE/kg DM) in a 5 x 5 Latin square design. Intake, digestibility, and total methane emissions (L/day) were recorded for periods of 23 h when cattle were housed in open-circuit respiration chambers. Dry matter intake (DMI), organic matter intake (OMI), dry matter digestibility (DMD), and organic matter digestibility (OMD) were different between treatments with 0 and 4% of QTE/kg DM (P < 0.05). Total volatile fatty acid and the molar proportion of acetate in the rumen was not affected (P < 0.05); however, the molar proportion of propionate increased linearly (P < 0.01) for treatments with 3 and 4% QTE. Total CH4 production decreased linearly (P < 0.01) as QTE increased in the diet, particularly with 3 and 4% concentration. When expressed as DMI and OMI by CH4, production (L/kg) was different between treatments with 0 vs 3 and 4% QTE (P < 0.05). It is concluded that the addition of QTE at 2 or 3% of dry matter ration can decrease methane production up to 29 and 41%, respectively, without significantly compromising feed intake and nutrients digestibility.
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