Fermented Rubber Seed Kernel with Yeast in the Diets of Tropical Lactating Dairy Cows: Effects on Feed Intake, Hematology, Microbial Protein Synthesis, Milk Yield and Milk Composition

The effect of supplementation with rubber seed kernel pellet on in vitro rumen fermentation characteristics and fatty acid profiles in swamp buffalo

BACKGROUND

Rubber seed kernel is a by-product derived from rubber tree plantations. It is rich in C18 unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) and has the potential to be used as a protein source for ruminant diets. This investigation has been conducted to determine the influence of rubber seed kernel pellet (RUSKEP) supplementation on in vitro rumen fermentation characteristics and fatty acid profiles in swamp buffalo. Using a completely randomized design (CRD) and supplementation of RUSKEP at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10% dry matter (DM) of substrate.

RESULTS

The supplementation with RUSKEP had no effect on gas kinetics, cumulative gas production, or degradability. Ruminal pH decreased linearly (P < 0.01) and ammonia-nitrogen (NH3-N) concentration decreased quadratically (P < 0.01) by RUSKEP supplementation. The proportion of acetate (C2) decreased linearly (P < 0.01), but propionate (C3) and butyrate (C4) increased linearly (P < 0.01), resulting in a decrease in the acetate to propionate ratio (C2:C3) (P < 0.01) by RUSKEP supplementation. With an increasing level of dietary RUSKEP, there was a slight increase in UFA in the rumen by increasing the oleic acid (OA; C18:1 cis-9 + trans-9), linoleic acid (LA; C18:2 cis-9,12 + trans-9,12), and α-linolenic acid (ALA; C18:3 cis-9,12,15) concentrations (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Adding up to 10% of RUSKEP could improve in vitro rumen fermentation and C18 unsaturated fatty acids, especially ALA, in swamp buffalo.

Potential Use of Kasedbok (Neptunia javanica Miq.) on Feed Intake, Digestibility, Rumen Fermentation, and Microbial Populations in Thai Native Beef Cattle

This experiment was conducted to determine the influence of Kasedbok (Neptunia javanica Miq.) on the feed utilization, rumen fermentation, and microbial population in Thai Native beef cattle. Four animals with a mean body weight of 295 ± 15 kg were randomly arranged in a 4 × 4 Latin square design. There were four treatments, utilizing 0, 80, 160, and 240 g/kg Kasedbok in concentrate. Local feed resources, including cassava chips, rice bran, palm kernel meal, and soybean meal, were utilized to formulate the concentrate diets, which contained between 11.8 and 12.0% crude protein (CP). The trial was conducted for four periods of three weeks each. The first two weeks consisted of an adaptation period, while the final week was a sampling period. The findings of the current study reveal that feed intake, dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) digestibility were similar between treatments. In addition, there was no effect of Kasedbok levels on rumen pH, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentration, or volatile fatty acid. However, increasing the inclusion level of Kasedbok linearly decreased CP digestibility and ammonia nitrogen (NH₃-N) concentration (p = 0.04). In contrast, the population of fungal zoospores improved significantly (p = 0.03), while the bacterial and protozoal counts remained unchanged (p > 0.05). Furthermore, when the level of Kasedbok was increased from 0 to 80, 160, and 240 g/kg DM, the cost of concentrate decreased by 4.1, 7.8, and 10.6 USD/100 kg DM, respectively. The results of this experiment suggest that utilizing 240 g/kg of Kasedbok in a concentrated mixture will not affect feed utilization, rumen fermentation, improve microbial population, and reduce feed cost in Thai native beef cattle.

Effect of Heat Processing of Rubber Seed Kernel on In Vitro Rumen Biohydrogenation of Fatty Acids and Fermentation

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of rubber seed kernel heat processing on in vitro rumen biohydrogenation of fatty acids and fermentation. The experiment was conducted with a completely randomized design (CRD). The inclusion of RSK at 0% (CON) and 20% with different processing methods as follows: Raw rubber seed kernel (RAWR), roasted rubber seed kernel (ROR), microwave irradiated rubber seed kernel (MIR), and rubber seed kernel were heated in a hot air oven (RHO) in total mixed ration (TMR) diets. The hydrogen cyanide (HCN) was reduced using RSK heat methods. The heat processing of RSK had no effect on cumulative gas production at 96 h, the gas production from the insoluble fraction (b), or degradability (p > 0.05), whereas it reduced the gas production from the immediately soluble fraction (a) and constant rate of gas production for the insoluble fraction (c) (p < 0.01). The RSK processing methods did not influence ruminal pH, total volatile fatty acid (VFA), or VFA proportions (p > 0.05). RSK heat processing reduced ammonia-nitrogen (NH3-N) (p < 0.04) while increasing the bacterial population (p < 0.02). Heat treatment had no effect on linoleic acid (C18:2 cis-9,12 + tran-9,12) (p > 0.05). The RHO increases oleic acid (C18:1 cis-9 + tran-9) and linolenic acid (C18:3 cis-9,12,15) concentrations (p < 0.01). In conclusion, RHO reduced rumen biohydrogenation of unsaturated fatty acids (UFA), especially C18:3 and C18:1.

The Effect of Indigo (Indigofera tinctoria L.) Waste on Growth Performance, Digestibility, Rumen Fermentation, Hematology and Immune Response in Growing Beef Cattle

This experiment was conducted to assess the effect of indigo waste on the feed intake, digestibility, rumen fermentation, hematology, immune response and growth performance in growing beef cattle. Twenty crossbred beef cattle with an initial body weight (BW) of 145 ± 11 kg were fed four levels of indigo waste for 90 days in a trial. Additions of indigo waste at 0%, 10%, 20% and 30% in a concentrate diet using a completely randomized design (CRD). Cattle were fed concentrate at 1.8% BW, with rice straw fed ad libitum. The concentrate intake decreased linearly (p = 0.01) with the addition of indigo waste. The supplementation with indigo waste reduced dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM) digestibility cubically (p = 0.03 and p = 0.02, respectively), while increasing neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestibility cubically (p = 0.02). The final BW of beef cattle decreased linearly (p = 0.03) with the addition of indigo waste. The inclusion of indigo waste decreased the average daily gain (ADG) and gain-to-feed ratio (G:F) linearly (p < 0.01) from 0 to 90 days. The nutrient digestibility, ADG and G:F of beef cattle fed 10% indigo waste in the diet was similar when compared with the control (0% indigo waste). The ruminal pH, ammonia-nitrogen (NH3-N) and total volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations were similar among treatments (p > 0.05). The proportion of acetate increased linearly (p < 0.01) but propionate decreased linearly (p < 0.01), resulting in an increase in the acetate to propionate ratio (p < 0.01) when cattle were fed with indigo waste supplementation. Increasing indigo waste levels did not influence blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels, hematological parameters or immune responses (IgA, IgM and IgG) (p > 0.05). In conclusion, the inclusion of indigo waste at 10% in a concentrate diet did not have a negative effect on feed intake, nutrient digestibility, rumen fermentation, hematology, immune function or growth performance in growing beef cattle.

Effect of Dietary Supplementation of Hydrolyzed Yeast on Growth Performance, Digestibility, Rumen Fermentation, and Hematology in Growing Beef Cattle

This experiment was conducted to assess the effect of hydrolyzed yeast (HY) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, rumen fermentation, and hematology in growing crossbred Bos indicus cattle. Twenty crossbred beef cattle with an initial body weight (BW) of 142 ± 12 kg were randomly assigned to one of four treatments for 90 d in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) having five blocks based on a homogenous subpopulation of sex and BW. Cattle were fed with a total mixed ration (TMR) and supplemented with HY at 0, 1, 2, and 3 g/kg dry matter (DM), respectively. Supplementation with the HY did not change average daily gain (ADG), dry matter intake (DMI), and gain to feed ratio (G:F) (p ≥ 0.06). The addition of HY did not adversely affect nutrient intake (p ≥ 0.48), while the digestibility of crude protein (CP) increased quadratically (p= 0.03) in the cattle receiving HY. The addition of HY did not affect rumen pH, but NH3-N concentration increased linearly (p = 0.02) in the cattle. The total volatile fatty acid (total VFA) increased quadratically (p= 0.03) when cattle were fed with HY supplementation. The proportion of acetate decreased cubically (p= 0.03) while propionate increased cubically (p= 0.01), resulting in a decrease in the acetate to propionate ratio (p= 0.01) when cattle were fed with HY supplementation. In addition, acetate was the lowest, but total VFA and propionate were the highest in cattle fed the HY at 2 g/kg DM. Butyrate increased cubically (p = 0.02) with the addition of HY. The protozoal and fungal populations were similar among treatments (p ≥ 0.11), but the bacterial population increased linearly (p < 0.01) with the addition of HY. Supplementation of HY did not influence blood urea nitrogen (BUN), red blood cells (RBC), hemoglobin, hematocrit, white blood cells (WBC), lymphocytes, or eosinophils (p≥ 0.10). However, monocytes and neutrophils increased linearly (p = 0.04 and p = 0.01, respectively) by HY supplementation. In conclusion, supplementation of HY at 2 g/kg DM promotes CP digestibility, rumen fermentation efficiency, and hematology but does not affect the growth performance of growing beef cattle.