Premium
In vitro screening of selected feed additives, plant essential oils and plant extracts for rumen methane mitigation
Author(s) -
Durmic Zoey,
Moate Peter J,
Eckard Richard,
Revell Dean K,
Williams Richard,
Vercoe Philip E
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.6396
Subject(s) - rumen , food science , ruminant , fermentation , feed additive , chemistry , essential oil , distillers grains , animal feed , digestion (alchemy) , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , agronomy , chromatography , broiler , crop
BACKGROUND Ruminants produce large quantities of methane in their rumen as a by‐product of microbial digestion of feed. Antibiotics are added to ruminant feed to reduce wasteful production of methane; however, this practice has some downsides. A search for safer and natural feed additives with anti‐methanogenic properties is under way. The objective of this research was to examine selected feed additives, plant essential oils and plant extracts for their anti‐methanogenic potential in the rumen using an in vitro batch fermentation system . RESULTS A significant reduction ( P < 0.05) in methane production was observed with nine feed additives (up to 40% reduction), all eight essential oils (up to 75% reduction) and two plant extracts (14% reduction) when compared to their respective controls. Amongst these, only an algal meal high in docosahexaenoic acid, preparations of Nannochloropsis oculata , calcareous marine algae, yeast metabolites and two tannins did not inhibit microbial gas and volatile acid production . CONCLUSIONS The current study identified some potent dietary ingredients or plant compounds that can assist in developing novel feed additives for methane mitigation from the rumen. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry