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Zhao Y, Liu M, Jiang L, Guan L. Could natural phytochemicals be used to reduce nitrogen excretion and excreta-derived N 2O emissions from ruminants? J Anim Sci Biotechnol 2023; 14:140. [PMID: 37941085 PMCID: PMC10634152 DOI: 10.1186/s40104-023-00942-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Ruminants play a critical role in our food system by converting plant biomass that humans cannot or choose not to consume into edible high-quality food. However, ruminant excreta is a significant source of nitrous oxide (N2O), a potent greenhouse gas with a long-term global warming potential 298 times that of carbon dioxide. Natural phytochemicals or forages containing phytochemicals have shown the potential to improve the efficiency of nitrogen (N) utilization and decrease N2O emissions from the excreta of ruminants. Dietary inclusion of tannins can shift more of the excreted N to the feces, alter the urinary N composition and consequently reduce N2O emissions from excreta. Essential oils or saponins could inhibit rumen ammonia production and decrease urinary N excretion. In grazed pastures, large amounts of glucosinolates or aucubin can be introduced into pasture soils when animals consume plants rich in these compounds and then excrete them or their metabolites in the urine or feces. If inhibitory compounds are excreted in the urine, they would be directly applied to the urine patch to reduce nitrification and subsequent N2O emissions. The phytochemicals' role in sustainable ruminant production is undeniable, but much uncertainty remains. Inconsistency, transient effects, and adverse effects limit the effectiveness of these phytochemicals for reducing N losses. In this review, we will identify some current phytochemicals found in feed that have the potential to manipulate ruminant N excretion or mitigate N2O production and deliberate the challenges and opportunities associated with using phytochemicals or forages rich in phytochemicals as dietary strategies for reducing N excretion and excreta-derived N2O emissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuchao Zhao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Dairy Cow Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing, 102206, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Ming Liu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Dairy Cow Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Linshu Jiang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Dairy Cow Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing, 102206, China.
| | - Leluo Guan
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2R3, Canada
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Ramírez-Restrepo CA, Vera-Infanzón RR, Rao IM. The carbon footprint of young-beef cattle finishing systems in the Eastern Plains of the Orinoco River Basin of Colombia. FRONTIERS IN ANIMAL SCIENCE 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fanim.2023.1103826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
IntroductionPrevious research has shown increased productivity amongst sown grass pastures compared to native savanna pastures by year-round grazing for fattening of adult and young Brahman (Bos indicus)-bred cattle in the well-drained native savanna ecosystem of the Colombian Orinoquía. But there is limited information on the carbon footprint (CF) of commercial young-Brahman heifers and steers reared throughout life on well-managed Brachiaria decumbens Stapf pastures.MethodsThe present study characterized growth, lifetime enteric methane (CH4) emissions, carcass carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-eq) CH4 efficiency intensities (i.e., emissions per kg of product), and estimated the overall CF of young cattle grazing B. decumbens pastures subject to a range of daily liveweight gains (DLWGs; 0.428 – 0.516 kg) and fattening framework (405 – 574 kg). Weaning data from seven consecutive calving seasons in a commercial Brahman breeding herd continuously grazed on B. decumbens were integrated with a Microsoft Excel® dynamic greenhouse gas emission (GHGE) simulation of stockers-yearlings, and seven fattening, and processing scenarios.ResultsThe model predicted that heifers subject to low and high DLWGs (0.428 vs 0.516 kg) and steers (0.516 kg) may be successfully fattened without supplementation assuming that animals had access to a well-managed grass pasture. Depending on the fattening strategy, kg CO2-eq CH4/kg edible protein values ranged from 66.843 to 87.488 ± 0.497 for heifers and from 69.689 to 91.291 ± 0.446 for steers.DiscussionAssuming that forage on offer is at least 1,500-2,000 kg of dry matter/ha during the rainy season, all the simulated systems showed potential for C neutrality and net-zero C emission when considering GHGEs from the soil, pasture, and animal components vs the estimated soil C capture over seven seasons. However, under a more optimistic scenario, these beef systems could accomplish substantial net gains of soil C, over the period for which field data are available. Overall, this study projects the positive impact of the design of plausible fattening strategies on grasslands for improving cattle productivity and reducing emission intensities with concomitant increases in technical efficiency.
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Tedeschi LO, Muir JP, Naumann HD, Norris AB, Ramírez-Restrepo CA, Mertens-Talcott SU. Nutritional Aspects of Ecologically Relevant Phytochemicals in Ruminant Production. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:628445. [PMID: 33748210 PMCID: PMC7973208 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.628445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
This review provides an update of ecologically relevant phytochemicals for ruminant production, focusing on their contribution to advancing nutrition. Phytochemicals embody a broad spectrum of chemical components that influence resource competence and biological advantage in determining plant species' distribution and density in different ecosystems. These natural compounds also often act as plant defensive chemicals against predatorial microbes, insects, and herbivores. They may modulate or exacerbate microbial transactions in the gastrointestinal tract and physiological responses in ruminant microbiomes. To harness their production-enhancing characteristics, phytochemicals have been actively researched as feed additives to manipulate ruminal fermentation and establish other phytochemoprophylactic (prevent animal diseases) and phytochemotherapeutic (treat animal diseases) roles. However, phytochemical-host interactions, the exact mechanism of action, and their effects require more profound elucidation to provide definitive recommendations for ruminant production. The majority of phytochemicals of nutritional and pharmacological interest are typically classified as flavonoids (9%), terpenoids (55%), and alkaloids (36%). Within flavonoids, polyphenolics (e.g., hydrolyzable and condensed tannins) have many benefits to ruminants, including reducing methane (CH4) emission, gastrointestinal nematode parasitism, and ruminal proteolysis. Within terpenoids, saponins and essential oils also mitigate CH4 emission, but triterpenoid saponins have rich biochemical structures with many clinical benefits in humans. The anti-methanogenic property in ruminants is variable because of the simultaneous targeting of several physiological pathways. This may explain saponin-containing forages' relative safety for long-term use and describe associated molecular interactions on all ruminant metabolism phases. Alkaloids are N-containing compounds with vast pharmacological properties currently used to treat humans, but their phytochemical usage as feed additives in ruminants has yet to be exploited as they may act as ghost compounds alongside other phytochemicals of known importance. We discussed strategic recommendations for phytochemicals to support sustainable ruminant production, such as replacements for antibiotics and anthelmintics. Topics that merit further examination are discussed and include the role of fresh forages vis-à-vis processed feeds in confined ruminant operations. Applications and benefits of phytochemicals to humankind are yet to be fully understood or utilized. Scientific explorations have provided promising results, pending thorough vetting before primetime use, such that academic and commercial interests in the technology are fully adopted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis O. Tedeschi
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - James P. Muir
- Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Stephenville, TX, United States
| | - Harley D. Naumann
- Division of Plant Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Aaron B. Norris
- Department of Natural Resources Management, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, United States
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Tan C, Ramírez-Restrepo CA, Shah AM, Hu R, Bell M, Wang Z, McSweeney C. The community structure and microbial linkage of rumen protozoa and methanogens in response to the addition of tea seed saponins in the diet of beef cattle. J Anim Sci Biotechnol 2020; 11:80. [PMID: 32832076 PMCID: PMC7422560 DOI: 10.1186/s40104-020-00491-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background This study investigated changes in rumen protozoal and methanogenic communities, along with the correlations among microbial taxa and methane (CH4) production of six Belmont Red Composite beef steers fed tea seed saponins (TSS). Animals were fed in three consecutive feeding periods, a high-grain basal diet for 14 d (BD period) then a period of progressive addition of TSS to the basal diet up to 30 g/d for 20 d (TSS period), followed by the basal diet for 13 d without TSS (BDP post-control period). Results The study found that TSS supplementation decreased the amount of the protozoal genus Entodinium and increased Polyplastron and Eudiplodinium genera. During BDP period, the protozoa community of steers did not return to the protozoal profiles observed in BD period, with higher proportions of Metadinium and Eudiplodinium and lower Isotricha. The addition of TSS was found to change the structure of methanogen community at the sub-genus level by decreasing the abundance of methanogens in the SGMT clade and increasing the abundance of methanogens in the RO clade. The correlation analysis indicated that the abundance of SGMT clade methanogens were positively correlated with Isotricha, and Isotricha genus and SGMT clade methanogens were positively correlated with CH4 production. While RO clade were positively correlated with the proportion of Metadinium genus, which was negatively correlated with CH4 emission. Conclusions These results suggest that different genera of rumen protozoa ciliates appear to be selectively inhibited by TSS, and the change in methanogen community at the subgenus level may be due to the mutualistic relationships between methanogens and rumen ciliates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cui Tan
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130 Sichuan China
| | - Carlos A Ramírez-Restrepo
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Australian Tropical Sciences and Innovation Precinct, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811 Australia.,Present address: CR Eco-efficient Agriculture Consultancy (CREAC), 46 Bilbao Place, Bushland Beach, QLD 4818 Australia
| | - Ali Mujtaba Shah
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130 Sichuan China.,Department of Livestock Production, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Sakrand, Sindh 67210 Pakistan
| | - Rui Hu
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130 Sichuan China.,"Low Carbon Breeding Cattle and Safety Production", University Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Ya'an, 625014 Sichuan China
| | - Matt Bell
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, Loughborough, LE12 5RD UK
| | - Zhisheng Wang
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130 Sichuan China.,"Low Carbon Breeding Cattle and Safety Production", University Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Ya'an, 625014 Sichuan China
| | - Chris McSweeney
- CSIRO Agriculture, Queensland BioScience Precinct, St Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4067 Australia
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Ramírez-Restrepo CA, Vera-Infanzón RR. Methane emissions of extensive grazing breeding herds in relation to the weaning and yearling stages in the Eastern Plains of Colombia. REVISTA DE LA FACULTAD DE MEDICINA VETERINARIA Y DE ZOOTECNIA 2019. [DOI: 10.15446/rfmvz.v66n2.82429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
A substantial proportion of beef production in Colombia originates in its extensiveEastern Plains. However, in this scenario and in a global context, demand for cattleproduction increasingly requests that it satisfies social and environmental expectationsin addition to being economically efficient. A dataset containing five-year long recordsof cow-calf production systems collected at Carimagua Research Centre located in theMeta Department was retrospectively interrogated to understand the liveweight (LW)-derived flux matrix dynamics of methane (CH4) emissions. Estimated total CH4 (kg)emissions during the gestation period, were similar between conventional weaned (CW;37.86 ± 0.506 kg) and early weaned (EW; 37.47 ± 0.476 kg) cows. However, averagedover two lactations, total CH4 emissions were larger (p < 0.0001) in CW cows (38.67± 0.456 kg) than in their EW (14.40 ± 0.435 kg) counterparts. Total gas emissionsfrom birth to comparable commercial yearlings age were higher (p < 0.0001) for CW(43.11 ± 0.498 kg) calves than for EW (40.27 ± 0.472 kg) calves. It was concluded thatmid and long-term pastoral datasets and new concerns are well suited to understanddifferent contexts and adaptations to the contemporary weather conditions. Nevertheless,conventional farming systems will be less environmentally vulnerable if EWmanagement practices involve the strategic and temporal use of improved pastures. Theroles of veterinary medicine and animal sciences are briefly discussed in the context ofunprecedented climate variability to provide a guide to the uncertain future.
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Ramírez-Restrepo CA, Vera RR. Bodyweight performance, estimated carcass traits and methane emissions of beef-cattle categories grazing Andropogon gayanus, Melinis minutiflora and Stylosanthes capitata mixed swards and Brachiaria humidicola pasture. ANIMAL PRODUCTION SCIENCE 2019. [DOI: 10.1071/an17624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Cow–calf operations constitute the main land-use system in the 18 million ha of well drained tropical savannas of Colombia located in the Orinoco basin. There, numerous sex and age animal categories are present, ranging from suckling calves to old cull cows and steers, which in variable proportions are stocked at one animal unit (AU)/5–10 ha, depending on the ranch and distance from markets. In parallel, early-on farm observations showed that when sown pastures are introduced, graziers recur to opportunistic partial fattening of cull animals for a rapid economic return. The paper reports animal weight gains of cull cows, old steers, and young heifers and yearlings over seven consecutive years grazing on a low fertiliser-input well managed Andropogon gayanus-based pasture and four contemporary years on Brachiaria humidicola. The first 2 years involved three stocking rates (SR; 1.38, 1.85 and 2.32 animal units/ha), whereas a single SR of 1.33 animal units/ha was used for the remainder. A large database that included chemical, and in vitro and in vivo digestibility, values for all forages involved, was used as an input to a mathematical model to estimate methane (CH4) emissions. Estimations were compared with weight-based predictions derived from chamber measurements recorded recently in tropical Australia. Faecal mineral concentration varied little (not significantly) among SR and animal categories. Weight gains of old steers were 4–24% larger than those of cull cows, which, in turn, were larger than those of young steers and heifers (P < 0.01). Excepting one year, the performance of cull cows and old steers did not differ between pastures, confirming earlier on-ranch observations of reasonable weight gains of adult cattle on both pastures. The predicted carcass composition of cull cows and old steers did not differ between pastures either. Over the length of the experiment, cull cows emitted significantly less CH4 than did old steers (129 vs 141 g/day) on A. gayanus, while emissions on B. humidicola amounted to 128 and 137 g/day respectively. Despite between-year differences in animal performance, they are indicative of well managed pasture sustainability. They also show some of the trade-offs involved in the use of contrasting animal categories and pastures in terms of weight performance and predicted carcass composition and CH4 production. The authors expect that the present results will contribute to a rational, science-based discussion of the role of beef systems vis-à-vis environment in a region with limited production alternatives.
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Ramírez-Restrepo CA, Van Tien D, Le Duc N, Herrero M, Le Dinh P, Van DD, Le Thi Hoa S, Chi CV, Solano-Patiño C, Lerner AM, Searchinger TD. Estimation of methane emissions from local and crossbreed beef cattle in Daklak province of Vietnam. ASIAN-AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCES 2017; 30:1054-1060. [PMID: 28335096 PMCID: PMC5495666 DOI: 10.5713/ajas.16.0821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2016] [Revised: 12/16/2016] [Accepted: 02/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study was aimed at evaluating effects of cattle breed resources and alternative mixed-feeding practices on meat productivity and emission intensities from household farming systems (HFS) in Daklak Province, Vietnam. METHODS Records from Local Yellow×Red Sindhi (Bos indicus; Lai Sind) and 1/2 Limousin, 1/2 Drought Master, and 1/2 Red Angus cattle during the growth (0 to 21 months) and fattening (22 to 25 months) periods were used to better understand variations on meat productivity and enteric methane emissions. Parameters were determined by the ruminant model. Four scenarios were developed: (HFS1) grazing from birth to slaughter on native grasses for approximately 10 h plus 1.5 kg dry matter/d (0.8% live weight [LW]) of a mixture of guinea grass (19%), cassava (43%) powder, cotton (23%) seed, and rice (15%) straw; (HFS2) growth period fed with elephant grass (1% of LW) plus supplementation (1.5% of LW) of rice bran (36%), maize (33%), and cassava (31%) meals; and HFS3 and HFS4 computed elephant grass, but concentrate supplementation reaching 2% and 1% of LW, respectively. RESULTS Results show that compared to HFS1, emissions (72.3±0.96 kg CH4/animal/life; least squares means± standard error of the mean) were 15%, 6%, and 23% lower (p<0.01) for the HFS2, HFS3, and HFS4, respectively. The predicted methane efficiencies (CO2eq) per kg of LW at slaughter (4.3±0.15), carcass weight (8.8±0.25 kg) and kg of edible protein (44.1±1.29) were also lower (p<0.05) in the HFS4. In particular, irrespective of the HSF, feed supply and ratio changes had a more positive impact on emission intensities when crossbred 1/2 Red Angus cattle were fed than in their crossbred counterparts. CONCLUSION Modest improvements on feeding practices and integrated modelling frameworks may offer potential trade-offs to respond to climate change in Vietnam.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Alberto Ramírez-Restrepo
- CSIRO Agriculture, Australian Tropical Sciences and Innovation Precinct, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
| | - Dung Van Tien
- Tay Nguyen University, 567 Le Duan, Buon Ma Thuot City, Vietnam
| | - Ngoan Le Duc
- Hue University of Agriculture & Forestry, Hue University, 102 Phung Hung, Hue city, Vietnam
| | - Mario Herrero
- CSIRO Agriculture, Australian Tropical Sciences and Innovation Precinct, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
| | - Phung Le Dinh
- Hue University of Agriculture & Forestry, Hue University, 102 Phung Hung, Hue city, Vietnam
| | - Dung Dinh Van
- Hue University of Agriculture & Forestry, Hue University, 102 Phung Hung, Hue city, Vietnam
| | - Sen Le Thi Hoa
- Hue University of Agriculture & Forestry, Hue University, 102 Phung Hung, Hue city, Vietnam
| | - Cuong Vu Chi
- National Institute of Animal Sciences, Thuy Phuong, Tu Liem, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | | | - Amy M Lerner
- Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Timothy D Searchinger
- Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
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Ramírez-Restrepo CA, Tan C, ONeill CJ, López-Villalobos N, Padmanabha J, Wang J, McSweeney CS. Methane production, fermentation characteristics, and microbial profiles in the rumen of tropical cattle fed tea seed saponin supplementation. Anim Feed Sci Technol 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2016.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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