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Feed degradability, rumen fermentation and blood metabolites in response to essential oil addition to fistulated non‐lactating dairy cow diets
Author(s) -
Suksombat Wisitiporn,
Na Atitthan,
Meeprom Chayapol,
Lounglawan Pipat
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
animal science journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.606
H-Index - 38
eISSN - 1740-0929
pISSN - 1344-3941
DOI - 10.1111/asj.12778
Subject(s) - rumen , neutral detergent fiber , latin square , dry matter , chemistry , zoology , silage , urea , fermentation , forage , food science , agronomy , biology , biochemistry
Abstract The effects of essential oils (EOs) on ruminal nutrient disappearance, rumen fermentation and blood metabolites in fistulated non‐lactating dairy cows were studied. Four fistulated non‐lactaing dairy cows were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square design; the experiment consisted of four periods of 21 days in each period, with the first 14 days for adaptation followed by 7 days of measurement period. Animals were fed 3 kg/day of 21% crude protein (CP) concentrate and ad libitum corn silage. Treatments were: (i) control; (ii) 2 mL Allicin/cow/day; (iii) 2 mL zingiberene/cow/day; and (iv) 2 mL citral/cow/day. The results demonstrated that EOs increased dry matter and neutral detergent fiber degradabilities at 48 and 72 h, but had no effect on acid detergent fiber and CP degradabilities. EOs did not change ruminal pH, ammonia nitrogen, protozoa, volatile fatty acid concentrations and blood glucose but reduced blood urea nitrogen at 4 h.