Effect of Feeding Sarsaponin in Cattle and Swine Diets

Abstract

In four trials, steer calves were received in the feedlot, processed and fed diets supplemented with soybean meal (SBM), 1% urea (UR) or 1% urea plus sarsaponin (S) over a 28-d period. In trials 1 and 2, the feeding period was extended to approximately 62 d, in which steers were fed a common (SBM) diet the last 34 d. In trials 3 and 4, a SBM plus S diet treatment was included. During the first 28 d (four trial summary) daily gains of steers fed urea plus S (.74 kg) were intermediate to and significantly different from gains of steers fed SBM (.84 kg) or UR (.66 kg) diets. However, at the end of the 62-d feeding period (two trial summary) daily gains, feed intakes and feed efficiency did not differ (P greater than .05) among treatments. No significant improvements in performance were found in steers fed SBM diets supplemented with S. In swine trials, pigs were fed diets containing no additive, 63 mg S X kg-1, 55 mg chlortetracycline (C) X kg-1 or S plus C in a grower-finisher (GF) and grower (G) trial. In the GF trial, overall efficiency of feed conversion was improved (P less than .05) by feeding S or S plus C. In the G trial, daily gains and intakes were greatest for pigs fed S plus C and differed (P less than .1) from those of pigs fed S or C in the diet. Compared with feeding S or C alone, gain and intake of growing pigs were stimulated to a greater extent when S was fed in combination with C. Feeding S with or without C improved efficiency of feed conversion in finishing pigs.

Use of ‘natural’ products as alternatives to antibiotic feed additives in ruminant production

“…They have been shown to have hypocholesterolaemic, anticoagulant, anticarcinogenic, hepatoprotective, hypoglycaemic, immunomodulatory, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activities (Milgate and Roberts, 1995;Cheeke, 1999). In ruminants, dietary supplementation with saponins has been claimed to improve growth, feed efficiency and health (Mader and Brumm, 1987). These effects have been explained partly by the action of saponins on ruminal microbes, resulting in a decrease in rumen degradability of feed proteins and an increase in microbial protein synthesis in the rumen, which both increase the intestinal flow of amino acids (Makkar and Becker, 1996b).…”

“…The strong bioactivity of saponins, associated with the possibility for rumen microbes to deglycosylate them, explain why their effect on animal performances is rather inconsistent (Mader and Brumm, 1987;Wu et al, 1994;Calsamiglia et al, 2005), and generally low when animals have been treated over a long period (Table 2).…”

Effects of Yucca schidigera on gas mitigation in livestock production: A review

“…For instance, whole-plant product containing polyphenolics may account for some of the bioactivities of YSE 96 , which made the effects of YSE on gas mitigation not exclusive to saponins. Furthermore, agronomic and environmental factors like vegetative stage of plant at harvest also influence plant content of YSE 23,28,97 . And some contents of YSE was suspected to show negative effects towards livestock even they possess a GRAS (generally regarded as safe) label 98 , and it has not been reported if this is related to extracting methods of YSE.…”

Growth Response of Oreochromis niloticus (L) fed Crude Extract of Azadirachta indica Saponins

“…Saponins have been variously attributed with a diverse range of properties some of which include both beneficiary and detrimental effects [3]. Saponin-rich plant extract (Yucca schidigera) have been found to improve growth, feed efficiency and health in ruminant animals [4]. [5] also observed that the supplementation of feed with leaves of Sebania sesban, known for its high saponin content have the potential of improving protein flow from the rumen.…”