Pithecellobium dulce, Tagetes erecta and Cosmos bipinnatus on reducing enteric methane emission by dairy cows

Abstract

The aim of the present research was to evaluate the effect of Pithecellobium dulce, Tagetes erecta and Cosmos bipinnatus on methane emission, milk yield and dry matter intake in dairy cattle. A 4×4 Latin square experimental design was employed, using four multiparous Holstein cows of 553±72.4kg body weight, at mid lactation and average milk yield of 17.3±3kg/day. The experiment lasted 92 days, divided into four experimental periods of 23 days each. All cows had free access to maize and alfalfa silage in a 50:50 proportion, 4kg of concentrate/day and ad libitum access to water. Treatments consisted in supplementation of 0.5kg/day of the experimental plants, with one control treatment without supplementation. Each cow received one of each treatment in turn during one of the four periods. The C. bipinnatus reduced methane production by 16% (P<0,05) in comparison with the control diet. Milk production, milk composition and dry matter intake were not affected (p>0 0.05) by the use of C. bipinnatus or any other plant species. Supplementation at low doses of C. bipinnatus showed a reduction in ruminal methane production in dairy cows.

Effects of Three Herbs on Methane Emissions from Beef Cattle

“…Furthermore, CB did not affect ADWG because the largest weight gain was observed in this treatment, which was associated with low CH 4 emission. This result is in line with previous findings reported by Hernández-Pineda et al [18] and Min et al [65]. Min et al conducted a study to determine the effects of quebracho CT supplementation on the in vitro ruminal fluid gas production, in vivo ruminal fluid protein fractions, bloat dynamics, and ADWG of steers grazing on winter wheat.…”

“…However, our results suggest that the condensed tannins in CC probably affected the population of ruminal protozoa, and thus fiber degradation and, as a consequence, CH 4 production were also reduced. Previous studies conducted by our group indicated that the tannins in C. bipinnatus can reduce enteric CH 4 yield in dairy cattle fed a diet with an F:C ratio of 62:38 by 16% in comparison with that in a control diet [18]. Similarly, Gomaa et al [17] demonstrated that the inclusion of CC at a 10% level reduced in vitro CH 4 production by 14.5%.…”

“…Similarly, herbs such as Cosmos bipinnatus (CB), a Mexican Asteraceae, have shown antimethanogenic properties in vitro [17] and in vivo in dairy cattle [18] but have never been tested in beef cattle, particularly those fed diets with high concentrate levels. Additionally, plants such as Matricaria chamomilla [MC] have never been evaluated in vivo, despite their high contents of flavonoids and other phenolic compounds, which have been identified in various parts of the MC flower [19].…”

“…The doses of the supplemented plants were based on the antimethanogenic effects observed in previous experiments. For example, the dose of 365 g DM/d recommended by Hernández-Pineda et al [18] was used for CB because a significant reduction in daily CH 4 production at this dose was reported by the authors. The dose of 100 g DM/d utilized by Wanapat et al [14] was used for CC because at this dose, the authors observed a significant reduction in CH 4 production, and no information on the in vivo use of MC was found in the literature, so the same dose used for CB was applied based on the similar total tannin (TT) contents of the plants.…”

Biologically active compounds of plant origin in medicine

“…Garlic oil and its component alliin have been shown to limit methane production by inhibition of the growth of methanogens [Hart et al 2006]. It has also been demonstrated that Cosmos bipinnatus Cav., which is a source of phenols and their derivatives (tannins), exerts antimethanogenic effects in vivo [Hernández-Pineda et al 2018] in dairy cattle. As reported by Oskoueian et al [2013], flavonoids such as quercetin and naringin reduce the population size of protozoa and methanogens.…”