Supplementation of a tropical grass diet with forage legumes and Sapindus saponaria fruits: effects on in vitro ruminal nitrogen turnover and methanogenesis

Abstract

In two in vitro experiments with the RUSITEC-apparatus, Brachiaria dictyoneura was tested alone and with legumes at dietary proportions of 1/3, 2/3, or 3/3 of Arachis pintoi (Expt 1) and 1/3 of Arachis pintoi, Cratylia argentea, or Calliandra calothyrsus (Expt 2). In Expt 2, all diets were evaluated with and without 80 mg/g diet of Sapindus saponaria fruits. In Expt 1, the stepwise replacement of the grass by A. pintoi curvi-linearly increased rumen fluid concentrations of ammonia, volatile fatty acids, bacteria, and protozoa. Methane release rates were 1.7, 7.3, 8.8, and 9.0�mmol/day. With increasing legume proportion, more organic matter and protein were degraded, the latter being only partially recovered as ammonia. In Expt 2, 1/3 of A. pintoi basically had the same effects as in Expt 1. Cratylia argentea was less effective in modifying the fermentation pattern. In association with a higher nutrient degradation and rumen ammonia concentration, C. argentea and A. pintoi increased methane release to about 3- and 4-fold levels. Calliandra calothyrsus reduced nutrient degradation and methane release per gram of organic matter degraded. Tannins, predominant in C. calothyrsus, might have affected methanogenesis. Sapindus saponaria reduced methanogenesis by 11% on average in grass-alone and legume-supplemented diets.

Crop-Livestock Farming Systems Varying with Different Altitudes in Southern Ethiopia

“…Despite this widely known and predictable feed shortage cycle (see, e.g., Gryseels and Anderson, 1983;Hary et al, 1996) only few farmers grew fodder plants consisting of legumes or nutritious grasses, which could have contributed highly to improving livestock feeding practices and soil conservation (Conant et al, 2001;Hess et al, 2003;Powell and Mohamed-Saleem, 1987). This phenomenon might be due to competing land use interests on rather small properties as was also recognized by Saleem (1998).…”

Arbustivas forrajeras y ácidos grasos: estrategias para disminuir la producción de metano entérico en bovinos.

“…Los taninos presentes en muchas leguminosas, como Calliandra calothyrsus, pueden estar asociados con la reducción en la producción de CH 4 , hasta en un 50%, respecto a la dieta tradicional de pasto solo (Hess et al, 2002). Relacionado con lo anterior, Molina et al (2013), a través de la técnica in vitro de producción de gases, incubaron Leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala) y pasto Guinea (Megathyrsus maximus).…”

The Effects of Cultivation Site on Forage Quality of Calliandra calothyrsus var. Patulul

“…By contrast, this supplementation strategy has hardly been adopted by farmers in Colombia, where other legume trees such as Cratylia argentea are frequently used to supplement ruminant livestock during the dry season (Plazas and Lascano 2005). A previous in vitro study demonstrated that the supplementation of a low-quality grass with Calliandra grown in a site with acid, low-fertility soils in Colombia apparently does not improve the feeding value of the complete diet (Hess et al 2003). However, there are certain indications that the feeding value of Calliandra could be affected by the cultivation site ).…”

“…More recently, research has focused attention on the nutritional value of Calliandra. Although having a favourably high protein content Tuwei et al 2003), reports of very high condensed tannin contents and low digestibility (Maasdorp et al 1999;Hess et al 2003;Lascano et al 2003) have questioned its value as a supplement for ruminants fed low-quality forage. Nevertheless, on-farm trials with dairy animals in the Embu area of Kenya have suggested that Calliandra can substitute concentrate without adverse effects on milk yield (Paterson et al 1999).…”

“…Utilization of trees and shrubs (named trees hereafter) is recognized to be an effective means of improving the supply and the quality of forage in tropical smallholder livestock systems. Green fodder from nitrogen-fixing leguminous trees contains much higher levels of rumen-degradable and undegradable protein than most grasses and crop residues (Hess et al 2003(Hess et al , 2004aAbreu et al 2004). Calliandra (Calliandra calothyrsus Meissner), a tropical multipurpose tree legume, native to the humid and subhumid regions of Central America and Mexico, was introduced to the Central Highlands of Kenya in the 1980s and since then has been widely promoted and adopted as a supplement to ruminants on low-quality forages (Wambugu et al 2001;Franzel et al 2003).…”