Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) as an alternative forage for dairy cows

Polyphenols and Lactation: Molecular Evidence to Support the Use of Botanical Galactagogues

Botanicals and herbal supplements contain a diverse array of polyphenols that may affect mammary gland function and promote galactagogue activity. This scoping review is conducted to identify scientific literature elucidating how polyphenols affect mammary gland biology and cellular mechanisms critical for lactation. A literature search of PubMed and Medline reviews relevant studies in dairy animals, rodent models, and cultured mammary epithelial cells that are published from January 2010 until July 2023, to ascertain effects of polyphenols on mechanisms regulating milk production and composition. The PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Scoping Review) strategy is applied and 80 studies on polyphenols and their implications on milk production and composition are included in this review. Limited information delineating effects of polyphenols on the molecular pathways that affect lactation are found, although available information suggests modulation of Stat5 signaling/differentiation, Stat3 signaling/remodeling, mTOR and insulin signaling/energy production, and nuclear factor kappa beta (NFκβ) signaling/oxidative stress and inflammation may play roles. A profound lack of mechanistic information underscores the critical need for further research to understand the impact of botanical supplements and polyphenols on milk production and composition in humans to establish maternal nutritional guidelines to support lactation and breastfeeding goals.

Application of fenugreek in ruminant feed: implications for methane emissions and productivity

Background

Human demand for meat and dairy products will increase as a result of economic development and population growth, and the farming of ruminants, such as cattle and sheep, will also increase. Methane (CH4) emission from the enteric fermentation of ruminant livestock is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and a significant contributor to global warming. Meanwhile, growth performance is often limited and animals are more vulnerable to diseases in high-density, intensive farming, greatly reducing livestock productivity, so developing ways to reduce CH4 emissions and improve ruminant productivity has become a research hotspot. Studies have reported that fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) as feed additives have the potential to reduce ruminant methane and improve the productivity. However, systematic reviews of such studies are lacking.

Methodology

In this review, databases of Google Scholar, Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus and Science Direct were used for the literature search. The initial keywords search was fenugreek or Trigonella foenum-graecum L. For more focused search, we added terms such as methane, rumen fermentation, growth, milk production and antioxidants. All were done for ruminants. The literature that conforms to the theme of this article is selected, summarized, and finally completed this article.

Results

By regulating the rumen microbiome (suppressing protozoans, methanogenic bacteria, and fungi), fenugreek can lower CH4 emissions according to many in vitro anaerobic fermentation experiments. Fenugreek secondary metabolites (saponins and tannins) are responsible for this impact, but it is still unclear exactly how they work. Therefore, more long-term in vivo experiments are needed to verify its efficacy. Fenugreek is also rich in alkaloids, amino acids, flavonoids, saponins and phenolic acids. These compounds have been shown to have beneficial effects on ruminant growth, lactation, and total antioxidant capacity. Therefore, fenugreek has a great opportunity to develop into a new green feed additive.

Conclusions

This review provides a summary of the effect of fenugreek and its bioactive compounds on rumen fermentation, CH4 emissions and production performance by ruminants. In addition, based on the available data, the possible biochemical pathway of fenugreek to reduce CH4 emissions in ruminants was described. Overall, the livestock feed industry has the opportunity to develop natural, environmentally-friendly feed additives based on fenugreek.

In vitro ruminal fermentation of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) produced less methane than that of alfalfa (Medicago sativa)

Objective

The objective of this study was to compare fenugreek (FG) with alfalfa (Alf) in ruminal fermentation and methane (CH₄) production in vitro.

Methods

Whole-plant FG harvested at 11- and 15-wk and Alf harvested at early and mid-bloom maturities, alone or as 50:50 mixture of FG and Alf at the respective maturity, were assessed in a series of 48-h in vitro batch culture incubations. Total fermentation gas and methane gas production, dry matter (DM) disappearance, volatile fatty acids, microbial protein and 16S RNA gene copy numbers of total bacteria and methanogens were determined.

Results

Compared to early bloom Alf, FG harvested at 11-wk exhibited higher (p<0.05) in vitro DM and neutral detergent fibre disappearance, but this difference was not observed between the mid-bloom Alf and 15-wk FG. Regardless plant maturity, in vitro ruminal fermentation of FG produced less (p<0.001) CH₄ either on DM incubated or on DM disappeared basis than that of Alf during 48-h incubation. In vitro ruminal fermentation of FG yielded similar amount of total volatile fatty acids with higher (p<0.05) propionate percentage as compared to fermentation of Alf irrespective of plant maturity. Microbial protein synthesis was greater (p<0.001) with 11-wk FG than early bloom Alf as substrate and 16S RNA gene copies of total bacteria was higher (p<0.01) with 15-wk FG than mid-bloom Alf as substrate. Compared to mid-bloom Alf, 15-wk FG had lower (p<0.05 to 0.001) amount of 16S RNA methanogen gene copies in the whole culture during 48-h incubation.

Conclusion

In comparison to Alf, FG emerges as a high quality forage that can not only improve rumen fermentation in vitro, but can also remarkably mitigate CH₄ emissions likely due to being rich in saponins.

Milk production performance of Friesian-Holstein cows fed diets containing Medicago sativa, Centrosema pubescens, or groundnut haulms (Arachis hypogaea)

To investigate the effect of feeding dairy cows diets containing lucerne hay, centrosema hay, and groundnut haulms (crop residue) on dry matter intake (DMI), milk yield, and milk composition, nine multiparous Friesian-Holstein cows in their mid-lactation stage were used in a 3 × 3 crossover design replicated three times. Dairy cows fed lucerne hay had significantly (p < 0.001) higher DMI than dairy cows fed centrosema hay. DMI for cows fed groundnut haulms and lucerne hay was not significantly different. Daily milk yield for dairy cows fed diet containing lucerne hay was significantly (p < 0.01) higher than that for dairy cows fed diets containing groundnut haulms or centrosema hay. Milk composition and body condition scores of the cows were not significantly affected by either lucerne hay, groundnut haulms, or centrosema hay. Overall, the results in this study indicated that feeding dairy cows diets containing lucerne hay increased milk yield.

Ruminal degradability and whole-tract digestibility of protein and fibre fractions in fenugreek haylage

Doepel, L., Montgomery, J. E., Beauchemin, K. A., King, J. R. and Acharya, S. N. 2012. Ruminal degradability and whole-tract digestibility of protein and fibre fractions in fenugreek haylage. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 92: 211–217. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the digestibility of fenugreek forage compared with alfalfa in dairy cows. Alfalfa and two genotypes of fenugreek, Quatro and F70, were harvested and prepared as plastic-wrapped high-moisture bales. Fourteen weeks after baling, forage samples were obtained for determination of ruminal degradation and whole-tract digestibility. To determine ruminal degradation, forage samples were placed in polyester bags and incubated in the rumen for various time points (up to 168 h) in lactating Holstein cows. Digestibility in the rumen, intestine and the whole digestive tract was estimated by incubating samples in the rumen, followed by measurements of intestinal digestibility using the mobile bag technique in two non-lactating Holstein cows. Effective ruminal degradability of DM was lower for F70 than for alfalfa, while for ADF and NDF it was equivalent in all forages. Whole-tract disappearance of DM, CP, ADF and NDF was lower for F70 than Quatro. In general, Quatro and alfalfa were similar in terms of ruminal degradation and digestion in the rumen, intestine and whole-tract, while F70 tended to be of lower quality.