Influences of flavomycin, ropadiar, and saponin on nutrient digestibility, rumen fermentation, and methane emission from sheep

This study focused on the effects of three additives given together with a hay/concentrate-based diet on nutrient digestibility, rumen fermentation, and methane emission from sheep. The basal diet consisted of 1.29 Kg mixed hay and 0.43 kg concentrate mixture based on dry matter (DM). Treatments consisted of control (no additive), flavomycin(40) (250 mg/d), ropadiar from an oregano extract (250 mg/d), and saponin in the form of a yucca schidigera extract ( 170 mg/d). Results indicated that intake and digestibility were unaffected by treatments (P>0.05). The NH3-N concentration of rumen liquor was lower (P<0.05) for additive treatments versus the control treatment. Higher concentrations of volatile fatty acid (VFA) were observed in the saponin (75.8 mmol/L) and ropadiar (73.1 mmol/L) treatments. The proportion of individual fatty acid of rumen liquor was unchanged, whereas lower ratio of acetate to propionate in the saponin treatment was observed (P<0.05). The average methane production expressed on digested organic matter (OM) and neutral detergent fiber (aNDFom) basis were decreased by approximately 33 and 12.0 g/kg. respectively in saponin. and 4.2 and 11.9 g/kg in ropadiar treatment compared to the control. Methane production was positively correlated with the concentrations of NH3-N, and negatively correlated with total VFA and the proportion of propionate of rumen liquor (P<0.05). The study found that saponin and ropadiar could have the potential to reduce rumen methanogenesis in sheep. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.