Efficacy of Dietary Urea-Impregnated Zeolite in Improving Rumen Fermentation Characteristics of Local Lamb

Abstract

A research on dietary inclusion of urea-impregnated zeolite as slow-release urea (SRU) agent had been conducted to reveal its effect on ruminal fermentation characteristics in local lambs. The research used 24 heads of 7-8 mo old of local male lambs with (20.12±2.1 kg BW) designed upon a randomized block design. Treatments consisted of diets contained no urea, urea, zeolite, and urea-impregnated zeolite. The collected data was analyzed with UNIANOVA and Duncan's multiple-range test. Results indicated that feeding no urea, zeolite, or urea-impregnated zeolite ration produced lower ruminal ammonia nitrogen than feeding urea ration (P<0.05). Feeding zeolite ration produced lower ruminal pH than feeding urea ration (P<0.05). Despite total VFAs were similar across the treatments, feeding urea-impregnated zeolite ration produced lower ruminal acetate, acetate to propionate ratio, or methane production than feeding urea ration (P<0.05). Feeding urea ration produced the lowest molar proportion of branch-chained VFAs (P<0.05). Feeding urea ration produced higher plasma urea concentration than feeding no urea ration (2.75 mM vs. 2.16 mM; P<0.05). In conclusion, zeolite or urea-impregnated zeolite as slow-release ammonia or SRU agent was potential in decreasing ruminal ammonia, pH, acetate to propionate ratio, methane, and maintaining low plasma urea within its physiological range.

Effect of natural zeolite on live weight changes, ruminal fermentation and nitrogen metabolism of ewe lambs

“…Rumen NH 3 and NH 4 + concentrations in the first hours were not affected by the addition of natural zeolite, but after 8 and 12 hours the concentrations of both increased. This contrasts with the results from Kardaya et al (2012), who reported that lambs fed diets without urea, zeolite or urea-impregnated zeolite rations produced similar ruminal NH 3 concentrations, and those from Montalvo et al (2005), who reported that zeolite could reduce the concentration of free NH 3 in the supernatant of the anaerobic digestion process of synthetic and piggery wastes, which may be different in the anaerobic conditions in the rumen. Sadeghi & Shawrang (2006) reported low levels of ruminal NH 3 concentration in steers that received 20 g/kg of urea and 0 g/kg of natural zeolite at 0, 2.5, and 5.5 hours post feeding, unlike the steers that received 30 g/kg of natural zeolite and 20 g/kg of urea, and the concentration of ruminal NH 3 concentration was higher.…”

“…The rise in ruminal pH as a result of the increase in ruminal NH 3 -N was also demonstrated by Pan et al (2003). However, this was in contrast with Kardaya et al (2012), who found that the addition of zeolite decreased ruminal pH, which indicated that zeolite was able to capture NH 3 through its cation exchange capacity.…”

Nutrient intake, digestibility, growth performance, and carcass of sheep fed urea‐based diet supplemented with natural clinoptilolite

“…Decreased ruminal pH when feeding UR-Z diet is consistent with reports by Kardaya et al (2012) and indicated high cation exchange capacity of zeolite to capture more ruminal ammonium ion (NH 4+ ) resulted from the decomposition of dietary NPN compounds (Mumpton, 1999). Furthermore, agreement with Dschaak et al (2010), not only the high osmotically active cations of zeolite substances might facilitate ruminal fermentation but also high osmotic activity might regulate ruminal pH reflecting one of the frequently reported benefits of its buffering capability against hydrogen ions of organic acids.…”

Effects of zinc-bearing palygorskite on rumen fermentation in vitro

“…Kennedy [7] have reported that adding the content of Zn in diet can reduce the concentration of NH 3 -N, promote cell protein synthesis. In addition, Kardaya [24] have suggested that nanoporous structure of zeolite could cause the release of ammonia and maintain the stability of ammonia concentrations because of their sustained release and cation-exchange capacity. In the present study, Zn-Pal has more cation-exchange capacity than palygorskite.…”