In Vitro Gas Production Test: towards Rapid Nutritional Evaluation of Roughages for Ruminant Feeding

M Sembiring; A.S.H. Baba

doi:10.55927/fjst.v1i4.969

Authors

M Sembiring Universitas Pembangunan Panca Budi
A.S.H. Baba Universiti Malaya Kuala Lumpur

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55927/fjst.v1i4.969

Keywords:

Browse Plants, Tannin, Partition of Nutrient, Gas Production, Polyethylene Glycol

Abstract

The gas production in vitro method was used to evaluate the degradability and gas production of browse plants in the absence or presence of polyethylene glycol 8,000 (PEG). Substrates (leguminous and browse plants; 500mg) were incubated for 24h and the accumulated gas produced recorded. The incubation contents of the syringes were transferred into nylon bags and the undegraded residues weighed after washing and drying to constant weight
(SNB method). Substrates were also incubated in the rumen in nylon bags for 24 h to determine in sacco degradability. Gas production ranged between 10.3 to 64.4ml whereas the dry matter degradability ranges between 27.3 and 70.9%. Addition of PEG, which minimised the inhibitory effects of tannin on microbial fermentation resulted in an increase in both gas production and degradability in vitro, which ranged from 25.7 to 64.2 ml and 34.2 to 75.0%, respectively. Correlation analysis of the DM degradability estimated by the SNB method and in sacco method was better in presence of PEG (y= 0.71x + 14.9; r2 = 0.92) as compared to absence of PEG (y= 0.59x + 15.0; r2 = 0.72). Partitioning factor (PF) of substrate to gas, which was expressed as mg DM degraded/ml gas, reflects the variation in microbial biomass yield. The PF figures varied from 4.94 -11.05 to PF+PEG values of 4.74-6.84 upon the addition of PEG. The present study showed that presence of tannin has a potentially beneficial effect to protein nutrition of the host animal by altering partitioning of nutrients towards more microbial yield rather than short chain fatty acids. PF values of browse plants determined both on the absence and presence of PEG may indicate the relative importance of tannins in different plant species on substrate degradability and partitioning of nutrients.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Menke, K., Raab, L., Salewski, A. Steingass, H., Fritz, D. and Schneider, W. 1979. The estimation of digestibility and metabolizable energy content of ruminant feedingstuffs from the gas production when they are incubated with rumen liquor in vitro. J. Agric. Sci., Camb. 3: 217-222

Krishnamoorthy,U., Soller, H., Steingass, H., H. and Menke, K.H. 1991. A comparative study on rumen fermentation of energy supplements in vitro. J. of Anim. Physiol. and Anim. Nutr. 65: 28-35

Khazaal, K., Dentinho, M.T., Ribeiro, J.M. and Ørskov, E.R. 1993. A comparison of gas production during incubation with rumen contents in vitro and nylon bag degradability as predictors of the apparent digestibility in vivo and the voluntary intake of hays. Anim Prod. 57: 105-112

BlÜmmel, M and Ørskov, E.R. 1993. Comparison of in vitro gas production and nylon bag degradability of roughages in prediction of feed intake in cattle. Anim. Feed Sci. and Technol. 40: 109-119

Leng, R.A. 1993. Quantitative ruminant nutrition- a green sciece. Austr. J. Agric. Res. 44: 363-380

BlÜmmel, M., Makkar, H.P.S., and Becker, K. 1997a. In vitro gas production: a technique revisited. J. Anim. Physiol and Anim. Nutr. 77: 24-34

BlÜmmel, M.,Steingass, H. and Becker, K. 1994. The partitioning of in vitro fermentation products and its bearing for the prediction of voluntary feed intake. Proc. Soc. Nutr. and Physiol. 3:123

BlÜmmel, M., Steingass, H. and Becker, K. 1997b. The relationship between in vitro gas production, in vitro microbial biomass and N-15 incorporation and its implications for the prediction of voluntary feed intake of roughages. Br. J. Nutr 77: 911-921

BlÜmmel, M. and Becker, K. 1997. The degradability characteristics of fifty four roughages and roughages neutral-detergent fibres as described by in vitro gas production and their relationship to voluntary feed intake. Br. J. Nutr 77(5): 757-768

Jones, G. A., McAllister, T.A., Muir, A.D. and Cheng, K.J. 1994. Effects of sainfoin (OnobrychisviciifoliaScop.) condensed tannins on growth and proteolysis by four strains of ruminal bacteria. Appld. Env. Microbiol. 60: 1374-1378

Khazaal, K. Boza, J. and Ørskov, E.R. 1994. Assessment of phenolic-related antinutritive effects in Mediterranean browse- a comparison between the use of the in vitro gas production technique with or without insoluble polyvinylpolypyrrolidone or nylon bag. Anim Feed Sci Technol 49: 133-149

Makkar, H.P.S., BlÜmmel, M. and Becker, K. 1995a Formation of complexes between polyvinyl pyrrolidones or polyethylene glycols and tannins, and their implication in gas production and true digestibility in in vitro techniques. Brit. J. Nutr. 73: 897-913

Salawu, M.B., Acamovic, T., Stewart, L.S., and Hovell FD, DeB 1997. Quebracho tannins with or without Browse Plus (a commercial preparation of polyethylene glycol) in sheep diets: effect on digestibility of nutrients in vivo and degradation of grass hay in sacco and in vitro Anim. Feed Sci. and Technol. 73:99

Makkar, H.M.S. and BlÜmmel, M. 1997. Nutritional implications of bound proanthocyanidins. Proceedings of the XVIII international grassland congress, June 8 - 12, Winnipeg, Canada

Goering, H.K. and Van Soest, P.J. 1970. Forage Fiber Analysis. Agricultural Handbook no. 379. Washington, DC: Agricultural Research Services, US Department of Agriculture

Makkar, H.P.S. and BlÜmmel, M 1997. In vitro rumen apparent and true digestibilities of tannin rich forages. Anim. Feed Sci. and Technol. 67:245-251

Porter, L.J., Hrstich,L.N. and Chan, B.G. 1986. The conversion of procyanidins and prodelphinidins to cyanidins and delphinidin. Phytochem. 25: 223-230

Ørskov, E.R. and McDonald, I 1979. The estimation of protein degradability in the rumen from incubation measurements weighted according to rate of passsage J. of Agric. Sci., Camb. 92: 499-503

Van Soest, P.J. and Robinson, J.B. 1985. A laboratory manual for animal science. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University

Steele, R.G.D. and Torrie, JH. 1980. Principles and procedure of statistical analysis. McGraw Hill, New York.

Makkar, H.P.S., BlÜmmel, M. and Becker, K. 1998. Application of an in vitro gas method to understand the effects of natural plant products on availability and partitioning of nutrients. In In vitro techniques for measuring nutrient supply to ruminants. Brit. Soc. of Anim. Sci. Occasional Publication No. 22 pgs 147-150