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Effects of supplementing rare earth element cerium on rumen fermentation, nutrient digestibility, nitrogen balance and plasma biochemical parameters in beef cattle
Author(s) -
Lin S. X.,
Wei C.,
Zhao G. Y.,
Zhang T. T.,
Yang K.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.651
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1439-0396
pISSN - 0931-2439
DOI - 10.1111/jpn.12295
Subject(s) - rumen , latin square , chemistry , zoology , excretion , propionate , nitrogen balance , silage , beef cattle , fermentation , nutrient , nitrogen , food science , biochemistry , biology , organic chemistry
Summary The objectives of the trial were to investigate the effects of supplementing rare earth element ( REE ) cerium (Ce) on rumen fermentation, nutrient digestibility, methane ( CH 4 ) production, nitrogen (N) balance and plasma biochemical parameters in beef cattle. Four Simmental male cattle, aged at 14 months, with initial liveweight of 355 ± 8 kg and fitted with permanent rumen cannulas, were used as experimental animals. The cattle were fed with a total mixed ration ( TMR ) composed of concentrate mixture and corn silage. Four levels of cerium chloride (CeCl 3 ·7H 2 O, purity 99.9%), that is 0, 80, 160 and 240 mg CeCl 3 /kg DM , were added to basal ration in a 4 × 4 Latin square design. Each experimental period lasted 15 days, of which the first 12 days were for pre‐treatment and the last 3 days were for sampling. The results showed that supplementing CeCl 3 at 160 or 240 mg/kg DM increased neutral detergent fibre ( NDF ) digestibility (p < 0.05) and tended to increased acid detergent fibre ( ADF ) digestibility (p = 0.083). Supplementing CeCl 3 at 80, 160 or 240 mg/kg DM decreased the molar ratio of rumen acetate to propionate linearly (p < 0.05). Supplementing CeCl 3 at 160 or 240 mg/kg DM decreased total N excretion, urinary N excretion and increased N retention (p < 0.05), increased excretion of total urinary purine derivatives ( PD ) (p < 0.05) and decreased CH 4 /kg DMI (p < 0.05). In conclusion, supplementing CeCl 3 at 160 or 240 mg/kg DM in the ration of beef cattle increased the digestibility of NDF , decreased the molar ratio of rumen acetate to propionate, increased N retention and microbial N flow and decreased CH 4 /kg DMI .