The Effects of Rosemary and Thyme Medicinal Herbs Consumption and Their Essences on Gas Production and Rumen Fermentation Parameters in Dairy Cows Under in vitro Conditions

Document Type : Full Research Paper

Authors

1 Islamic Azad University of Shahin Shahr, Isfahan, Iran. Mehrabadi, M., Agricultural Technical University of Pakdasht, Tehran, Iran.

2 Agricultural Technical University of Pakdasht, Tehran, Iran

3 Islamic azad university of shahin shahr, Isfahan, Iran

4 Fajr Agriculture Company of Isfahan, Iran

5 Fajr Agriculture Company of Isfahan, Iran.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of two medicinal plants of thyme and rosemary and their essences on gas production, digestibility, ruminal fermentation  and methane production parameters.  The gas production test was conducted with a 96-hour cultivation time in the form of a completely randomized design, along with four repetitions per treatment. The treatments consisted of: 1) basal diet with -  a forage-to-concentrate ratio of 50:50 without addition of the medicinal herbs and essences as the control treatment; 2) control treatment + 15 g/kg of thyme; 3) control treatment + 15 g/kg of rosemary; 4) control treatment + 100 mg/kg essence of thyme and 5) control treatment + 100 mg/kg of rosemary essence.The results of this study indicated that the application of the essences caused a significant increase in the gas production potential from the fermentable segment (b) and the gas production rate constant (c) compared to the control treatment (P <0.05). The treatments containing essences increased dry matter digestibility, organic matter and total volatile fatty acids and propionic acid as compared to the control (P<0.05).  Methane production in milliliters per gram of dry matter and ammonia nitrogen decreased remarkably in all experimental treatments compared to the control treatment(P<0.05). Overall, according to the results of this study, it seems that changes to the ruminal fermentation processes are possible by using the herbs and their essences, although additional –experiments  are - needed to investigate these effects.      

Keywords

References

1- Agarwal, N., Shekhar, C., Kumar, R., Chaudhary, L.C. and D. N. Kamra. 2009. Effect of peppermint (Mentha piperita) oil on In vitro methanogenesis and fermentation of feed with buffalo rumen liquor. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 148(2), PP:321-327.
2- Alexander, G., Singh, B., Sahoo, A. and T. K. Bhat. 2008. In vitro Screening of Plant Extracts to Enhance the Efficiency of Utilization of Energy and Nitrogen in Ruminant Diets. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 145: PP: 229-244.
3- AOAC. 2000. Official Methods of Analysis, 17th ed. Official Methods of Analysis of AOAC International, Gaithersburg, MD, USA.
4- Benchaar, C., and H. Greathead. 2011. Essential oils and opportunities to mitigate enteric methane emissions from ruminants. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 166,PP: 338-355.
5- Benchaar, C., Calsamiglia, S., Chaves, A. V., Fraser, G. R., Colombatto, D., McAllister, T. A., K. A. Beauchemin. 2008. A review of plant-derived essential oils in ruminant nutrition and production. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 145, PP: 209–228.
6- Benchaar, C., Petit, H. V., Berthiaume, R., Ouellet, D. R., Chiquette, J. And P. Y. Chouinard. 2007. Effects of essential oils on digestion, ruminal fermentation, rumen microbial populations, milk production, and milk composition in dairy cows fed alfalfa silage or corn silage. Journal of Dairy Science, 90, PP: 886–897.
7- Beuvink, J. M. W. and S. F. Spoelstra. 1992. Interactions between substrate, fermentation end-products, buffering systems and gas production upon fermentation of different carbohydrates by mixed rumen microorganisms invitro. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 37(4),PP: 505-509.
8- Blummel, M., and E. R. Orskov. 1994. Comparison of gas production and nylon bagdegradabilityof roughages in predicting feed intake in cattle. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 40,PP: 109-119.
9- Briskin, D. P., 2000. Medicinal Plants and Phytomedicines. Linking Plant Biochemistry and Physiology to Human Healt. Plant Physiology, 124, PP: 507-514. 
10- Busquet, M., Calsamiglia, S., Ferret, A., and C. Kamel. 2006. Plant extracts affect In vitro rumen microbial fermentation. Journal of dairy science, 89, PP: 761-771.
11- Castillejos, L., S. Calsamiglia, J. Martín-Ereso, and H. Ter Wijlen. 2008. In vitro evaluation of effects of ten essential oils at three doses on ruminal fermentation of high concentrate feedlot-type diets. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 145, PP: 259-270.
12- Clevenger, J. F., 1928. Apparatus for the determination of volatile oil. The Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association, 17, PP: 345–349.
13- Denek, N., Aydin, S. S., and A. Can. 2017. The effects of dried pistachio (Pistachio vera L.) by-product addition on corn silage fermentation and in vitro methane production. Journal of Applied Animal Research, 45,PP: 185–189.
14- Garcia-Gonzalez, R., Lopez, S., Fernandez, M., and J. S. Gonzalez. 2005. Effects of the addition of some medicinal plants on methane production in a rumen simulating fermenter (RUSITEC). In: Soliva, C. R., Takahashi, J., Kreuzer, M. (Eds.), Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference of Greenhouse Gases and Animal Agriculture. ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland, Pp. 444–447
15- Gunun, P., Gunun, N., Cherdthong, A., Wanapat, M., Polyorach, S., Sirilaophaisan, S., Wachirapakorn, C., and S. Kang. 2018. In vitrorumen fermentation and methane production as affected by rambutan peel powder. Journal of Applied Animal Research, 4(1),PP: 626-631.
16- Hess, H. D., Kreuzer, M., Diaz, T. E., Lascano, C. E., Carulla, J. E., Soliva, C. R., and A. Machmuller. 2003. Saponin rich tropical fruits affect ferment ation and methanogenesis in faunated and de faunated rumen fluid. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 109,PP: 79-94. 
17- Jahani-Azizabadi, H., Danesh Mesgaran, M., Vakili, A., and K.  Rezayazdi. 2014. Effect of some plant essential oils on in vitro ruminal methane production and on fermentation characteristics of a mid-forage diet. Journal of Agriculture Science and Technology, 16,PP: 1543-1554.
18- Johnson, K.A., and D.E. Johnson. 1995. Methane emission from cattle. Journal of Animal Science, 73, PP: 2483-2492.
19- Kumar, S. A, Mohan, M. E, Gandhimathi, R., and Amudha, P., 2009. Study on the Anti-Seizure Activity of Methanolic Extracts of Indigofera Tinctoria (L.). Pharmacologyonline, 1,PP: 1341-1351.
20- Macheboeuf, D., Morgavi, D. P. Papon, Y., Mousset, J. L. and M. Arturo-Schaan. 2008. Dose-response effects of essential oils on In vitro fermentation activity of the rumen microbial population. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 145,PP; 335-350.
21- Makkar, H. P. S., 2005. In vitro gas methods for evaluation of feeds containing phytochemicals. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 124PP: 291-302.
22- Malecky, M., Broudiscou, L. P., and P. Schmidely. 2009. Effects of two levels of monoterpene blend on rumen fermentation, terpene and nutrient flows in the duodenum and milk production in dairy goats. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 154,PP: 24-35.
23- McDonald, I., 1981. A revised model for the estimation of protein degradability in the rumen. Journal of Agricultural Science, 96,PP: 251-252.
24- McIntosh, F. M., Williams, P., Losa, R., Wallace, R. J., Beever, D.A. and C. J.  Newbold. 2003. Effects of essential oils on ruminal microorganisms and their protein metabolism. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 69, PP: 5011– 5014.
25- Menke, K. H. and H. Steingass. 1988. Estimation of the energetic feed value obtained from chemical analysis and in vitro gas production using rumen fluid. Animal research and development, 28PP: 7-55.
 

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 09 June 2021
  • Revise Date: 02 July 2022
  • Accept Date: 06 July 2022

Share

How to cite

Statistics