In situ degradability of soyabean meal treated with Acacia saligna and Atriplex halimus extracts in sheep

The effects of Acacia saligna (AC) and Atriplex halimus (AT) extracts were evaluated on ruminal soyabean meal (SBM) degradability using the nylon bag technique. Samples of SBM were treated with 0, 4, or 8 g of AC or AT extracts per 100 g SBM. Bags were incubated in two cannulated sheep for 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24, and 48 h. The chemical constituents (CCs) of extracts was determined using GC-MS. Rate and potential degradability of dry matter (DM) were decreased (P=0.015) to a greater extent than N degradability (P=0.145) with AC and AT doses. DM and N degradation were decreased (P<0.05) by 15% and 29%; 24% and 47% with AC, and 21% and 29%; 23% and 37% with AT at 4% and 8% for DM and N, respectively. The data suggest the possibility of using these extracts as feed additives to reduce ruminal degradability of SBM in ruminant diets

Effects of dietary menthol-rich bioactive lipid compounds on zootechnical traits, blood variables and gastrointestinal function in growing sheep

Background The present study aimed at investigating the influence of 90% menthol-containing plant bioactive lipid compounds (PBLC, essential oils) on growth performance, blood haematological and biochemical profile, and nutrient absorption in sheep. Twenty-four growing Suffolk sheep were allotted into three dietary treatments: Control (without PBLC), lower dose of PBLC (PBLC-L; 80 mg/d) and higher dose of PBLC (PBLC-H; 160 mg/d). Sheep in all groups were fed meadow hay ad libitum plus 600 g/d of concentrate pellets for 28 d. Results Average daily gain was not affected by treatment. Feeding of PBLC increased hay and total feed intake per kg body weight (P < 0.05). Counts of total leucocytes, lymphocytes and monocytes were not different among treatments. However, neutrophil count decreased (P < 0.05) in PBLC-H with a similar trend in PBLC-L (P < 0.10). Concentrations of glucose, bilirubin, triglycerides, cholesterol, urea and magnesium in serum were not different among sheep fed different doses of PBLC. However, serum calcium concentration tended to increase in PBLC-H (P < 0.10) and serum concentrations of aspartate & asparagine (P < 0.01) and glutamate & glutamine (P < 0.05) increased linearly with increasing PBLC dose. In ruminal epithelia isolated from the rumen after killing, baseline conductance (Gt; P < 0.05) and short-circuit current (Isc; P < 0.01) increased in both PBLC groups. Ruminal uptakes of glucose and methionine in the presence of Na+ were not affected by the dietary PBLC supplementation. In the absence of Na+, however, glucose and methionine uptakes increased (P < 0.05) in PBLC-H. In the jejunum, Isc tended to increase in PBLC-H (P < 0.10), but baseline Gt was not affected. Intestinal uptakes of glucose and methionine were not influenced by PBLC in the presence or absence of Na+. Conclusion The results suggest that menthol-rich PBLC increase feed intake, and passive ion and nutrient transport, the latter specifically in the rumen. They also increased serum concentrations of urea precursor amino acids and tended to increase serum calcium concentrations. Future studies will have to show whether some of these findings might be commonly linked to a stimulation of transient receptor potential (TRP) channels in the gastrointestinal tract

Effects of two sources of tannins (Quercus L. and Vaccinium vitis idaea L.) on rumen microbial fermentation: an in vitro study

The aim of the experiment was to determine the effect of different sources of tannins on the in vitro rumen fermentation with focus on methane production. In the experiment, a rumen simulation system (RUSITEC) equipped with 4 fermenters (1 L) was used in three replicated runs (6 d of adaptation and 4 d of sampling) to study the effects of Quercus cortex extract (QC), Vaccinium vitis idaea (VVI) dried leaf extract and a mixture of VVI/QC on rumen microbial fermentation. Fermenters were fed 10.9 g/d of dry matter (DM) of a 600:400 forage:concentrate diet. Treatments were control, QC (2.725 mL), VVI leaves 0.080 g) and mixture of QC/VVI (1.362 mL+0.040 g) and were randomly assigned to fermenters within periods. The equivalent of 2.5 g of tannins/kg dietary DM from three sources of tannins was evaluated. All tannin sources decreased CH4 and ammonia concentrations, as well as protozoa and methanogen counts (P<0.001). Vaccinium vitis idaea and QC/VVI tended (P=0.005) to reduce the acetate to propionate ratio. There were no changes in nutrient digestion. Results suggest that these sources of tannins, especially VVI have the potential to reduce rumen CH4 production and ammonia concentration without negative effects on in vitro DM digestibility, total volatile fatty acids and pH

Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Secondary Metabolites in Morphological Parts of Paulownia Clon In Vitro 112&reg; and Their Anticoagulant Properties in Whole Human Blood

It is not easy to find data in the scientific literature on the quantitative content of individual phytochemicals. It is possible to find groups of compounds and even individual compounds rather easily, but it is not known what their concentration is in cultivated or wild plants. Therefore, the subject of this study was to determine the content of individual compounds in the new Paulownia species, Oxytree, developed in a biotechnology laboratory in 2008 at La Mancha University in Spain. Six secondary metabolites were isolated, and their chemical structure was confirmed by spectral methods. An analytical method was developed, which was then used to determine the content of individual compounds in leaves, twigs, flowers and fruits of Paulownia Clon in Vitro 112&reg;. No flavonoids were found in twigs and fruits of Oxytree, while the highest phenylethanoid glycosides were found in twigs. In this study, we also focused on biological properties (anticoagulant or procoagulant) of extract and four fractions (A&ndash;D) of different chemical composition from Paulownia Clon in Vitro 112 leaves using whole human blood. These properties were determined based on the thrombus-formation analysis system (T-TAS), which imitates in vivo conditions to assess whole blood thrombogenecity. We observed that three fractions (A, C and D) from leaves decrease AUC10 measured by T-TAS. In addition, fraction D rich in triterpenoids showed the strongest anticoagulant activity. However, in order to clarify the exact mechanism of action of the active substances present in this plant, studies closer to physiological conditions, i.e., in vivo studies, should be performed, which will also allow to determine the effects of their long-term effects

Ruminal fermentation, microbial population and lipid metabolism in gastrointestinal nematode-infected lambs fed a diet supplemented with herbal mixtures.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of medicinal herbal mixtures rich in phenolic, flavonoid and alkaloid compounds on ruminal fermentation and microbial populations, and fatty acid (FA) concentrations and lipid oxidation in tissues of lambs infected with the gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) parasite (Haemonchus contortus). Parallel in vitro and in vivo studies were performed using two different herbal mixtures (Mix1 and Mix2). The in vitro study was conducted in a 2 (infection status; non-infected versus infected) × 3 (diets; control, Mix1 and Mix2) factorial design. In the in vivo study, 24 lambs were equally divided into four treatments: non-infected lambs fed a control diet, infected lambs fed the control diet, infected lambs fed a diet with Mix1 and infected lambs fed a diet with Mix2. Herbal mixtures (100 g dry matter (DM)/d) were added to the basal diets of meadow hay (ad libitum) and a commercial concentrate (500 g DM/d). The experimental period lasted for 70 days. Ruminal fermentation characteristics and methane production were not affected by infection in vivo or in vitro. Both herbal mixture supplementation increased total volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations (P 0.05). Infection of H. contortus or herbal mixtures modulated FA proportion mainly in the liver, especially the long chain FA proportion. Concentrations of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in serum were significantly higher after 70 days post-infection in the infected lambs. Herbal Mix1 supplementation reduced TBARS concentrations in meat after seven days of storage. In conclusion, supplementing of herbal mixtures to the diets of GIN parasite infected lambs did not affect the basic ruminal fermentation parameters. Herbal mixtures may improve few FA proportions mainly in liver as well as decrease lipid oxidation in meat

Effects of two sources of tannins (Quercus L. and Vaccinium vitis idaea L.) on rumen microbial fermentation: an in vitro study

The aim of the experiment was to determine the effect of different sources of tannins on the in vitro rumen fermentation with focus on methane production. In the experiment, a rumen simulation system (RUSITEC) equipped with 4 fermenters (1 L) was used in three replicated runs (6 d of adaptation and 4 d of sampling) to study the effects of Quercus cortex extract (QC), Vaccinium vitis idaea (VVI) dried leaf extract and a mixture of VVI/QC on rumen microbial fermentation. Fermenters were fed 10.9 g/d of dry matter (DM) of a 600:400 forage:concentrate diet. Treatments were control, QC (2.725 mL), VVI leaves 0.080 g) and mixture of QC/VVI (1.362 mL+0.040 g) and were randomly assigned to fermenters within periods. The equivalent of 2.5 g of tannins/kg dietary DM from three sources of tannins was evaluated. All tannin sources decreased CH4 and ammonia concentrations, as well as protozoa and methanogen counts (P<0.001). Vaccinium vitis idaea and QC/VVI tended (P=0.005) to reduce the acetate to propionate ratio. There were no changes in nutrient digestion. Results suggest that these sources of tannins, especially VVI have the potential to reduce rumen CH4 production and ammonia concentration without negative effects on in vitro DM digestibility, total volatile fatty acids and pH

Effect of Sainfoin (<i>Onobrychis viciifolia</i>) Pellets on Rumen Microbiome and Histopathology in Lambs Exposed to Gastrointestinal Nematodes

Our study analyzed the ruminal fermentation and microbiome, hematological profile, and abomasal histopathology of lambs experimentally infected with a gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) and fed sainfoin pellets (SFPs; 600 g DM/d/animal) for 14 d. Twenty-four lambs infected with Haemonchus contortus were divided into two separated groups: animals fed meadow hay (control) and animals fed SFPs. The ruminal contents, fermentation parameters, and microbiome in vitro and in vivo were determined using molecular and microscopic techniques. Ruminal contents in the SFP group indicated smaller populations of Archaea (p Methanomicrobiales (p = 0.009), and lower methane concentrations in vitro (p = 0.046) and in vivo (p = 0.030) than the control group. The relative abundance of Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens quantified by real-time PCR was higher in the lambs with the SFP diet (p = 0.05). Haemonchosis affected the number of red blood cells of the lambs (p p = 0.004). The consumption of SFPs by GIN-infected lambs may affect ruminal methanogens and subsequently decrease methane emission without undesirable changes in the ruminal microbiome or the health of the animals