Dietary sources and their effects on animal production and environmental sustainability

Abstract

Animal agriculture has been an important component in the integrated farming systems in developing countries. It serves in a paramount diversified role in producing animal protein food, draft power, farm manure as well as ensuring social status-quo and enriching livelihood. Ruminants are importantly contributable to the well-being and the livelihood of the global population. Ruminant production systems can vary from subsistence to intensive type of farming depending on locality, resource availability, infrastructure accessibility, food demand and market potentials. The growing demand for sustainable animal production is compelling to researchers exploring the potential approaches to reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions from livestock. Global warming has been an issue of concern and importance for all especially those engaged in animal agriculture. Methane (CH4) is one of the major GHG accounted for at least 14% of the total GHG with a global warming potential 25-fold of carbon dioxide and a 12-year atmospheric lifetime. Agricultural sector has a contribution of 50 to 60% methane emission and ruminants are the major source of methane contribution (15 to 33%). Methane emission by enteric fermentation of ruminants represents a loss of energy intake (5 to 15% of total) and is produced by methanogens (archae) as a result of fermentation end-products. Ruminants׳ digestive fermentation results in fermentation end-products of volatile fatty acids (VFA), microbial protein and methane production in the rumen. Rumen microorganisms including bacteria, protozoa and fungal zoospores are closely associated with the rumen fermentation efficiency. Besides using feed formulation and feeding management, local feed resources have been used as alternative feed additives for manipulation of rumen ecology with promising results for replacement in ruminant feeding. Those potential feed additive practices are as follows: 1) the use of plant extracts or plants containing secondary compounds (e.g., condensed tannins and saponins) such as mangosteen peel powder, rain tree pod; 2) plants rich in minerals, e.g., banana flower powder; and 3) plant essential oils, e.g., garlic, eucalyptus leaf powder, etc. Implementation of the -feed-system using cash crop and leguminous shrubs or fodder trees are of promising results.

Effects of Antidesma thwaitesianum Muell. Arg. pomace as a source of plant secondary compounds on digestibility, rumen environment, hematology, and milk production in dairy cows

“…Positive effects of plant containing CT and SP on daily gain and milk production have been demonstrated in the previous studies, as well as a protective effect on dietary protein in the rumen in order to promote duodenal absorption, minimize excretion of nitrogen and modify the acetate to propionate ratio in rumen fluid (Anantasook et al., ; Salem et al., , ). Use of CT and SP extract may be commercially available as their cost is currently prohibitive for their routine use in animal production systems (Wanapat, Cherdthong, Phesatcha, & Sungchhang, ). However, research is still required on the optimum sources of CT and SP, the level of CT astringency (chemical composition) and dose rates required to decrease methane and stimulate animal performance (Gunun et al., ; Wanapat, Kang, & Polyorach, ).…”

In vitro evaluation of different varieties of maize fodder for their methane generation potential and digestibility with goat rumen liquor

“…Methane production in the rumen represents 2-12% loss of feed energy [2] decreasing the metabolizable energy content of feeds. In addition, production of greenhouse gases from animals and their impact on climate changes are a major concern worldwide [3,4].…”

Methanolic extract of Urochloa humidicola on in vitro rumen fermentation

“…Knapp et al (2014) observed that increased ether extract content in the diet resulted in decreased CH 4 production per unit of milk produced (kg), according to lipid sources and content. Wanapat et al (2015) verified that unsaturated fatty acids added to ruminant diets reduced gas production due to their toxic effect on the ruminal protozoa that act on fiber digestion, as well as on methanogens, and to the competition generated when hydrogens are employed in the biohydrogenation process of the unsaturated lipid bonds instead of in CH 4 production. Those authors also found that plant extracts can affect ruminal fermentation due to the presence of active secondary metabolites, such as saponins and tannins, which have an effect on methanogens and on the nutrient degradation of the diet.…”

“…Non-fibrous carbohydrates may promote changes in the physicochemical conditions of the rumen and in the population of microorganisms (Wanapat et al, 2015). Rumen degradation promotes a pH reduction that may influence the survival of microorganisms, and abrupt changes may interfere in the digestibility of low-quality forages (Castillo-González et al, 2014).…”