Herbal inclusions ameliorate effect of heat stress on haematology, proinflammatory cytokines, adipokines and oxidative stress of weaned rabbit does in humid tropics

A study was designed to evaluate the effect of Moringa oleifera, Phyllanthus amarus and Viscum album leaf meal as herbal inclusions to alleviate the detrimental outcomes of heat stress in weaned female rabbits. Forty (40) weaned rabbit does (527.99 ± 10.35 g; 28 days old) were randomly allotted to four dietary groups consisting of Diet 1(control diet; without leaf meal), Diets 2 (supplemented with 10% V. album); 3 (supplemented with 10% M. oleifera) and 4 (supplemented with 10% P. amarus) in an 84 days trial at the peak of heat stress in Southwest Nigeria. At the end of the trial, blood samples were collected to assess physiological responses and oxidative status of the rabbit does. The results obtained revealed that rabbit does were exposed to heat stress; rabbit does fed control diet had higher leucocyte and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio compared to rabbit does fed on herbal inclusions. The herbal inclusions enhanced oxidative stability of rabbit does by lowering lipid peroxidation and enhancing antioxidant activities during heat stress conditions. Rabbit does fed control-based diet had significantly higher heat shock protein 70, leptin and adiponectin compared to rabbit does on M. oleifera, P. amarus and V. album supplemented diets. The herbal inclusions tend to suppress proinflammatory cytokines in rabbit does during heat stress condition. In conclusion, the herbal inclusions suppress inflammation, adipokines and promotes oxidative stability of rabbit does exposed to heat stress conditions.

Extracts of herbs and spices as feed additives mitigate ruminal methane production and improve fermentation characteristics in West African Dwarf sheep

The study aims to evaluate the effect of aqueous and methanolic extracts of three herbs, namely, neem (Azadirachta indica), drumstick (Moringa oleifera) and scent (Ocimum gratissimum), and three spices garlic (Allium sativum), ginger (Zingiber officinale) and onion leaflets (Allium cepa) on ruminal methane production and fermentation characteristics. The feed samples (200 mg substrates plus extracts of the selected herbs and spices) were incubated with rumen liquor taken from three mature West African dwarf ewes at 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21 and 24 h. The results show that extracts of the selected herbs and spices increased the gas produced, from the insoluble fraction, degradability rate, volume of gas produced at time and time of most rapid change in gas produced. The organic matter digestibility (OMD), metabolizable energy (ME) and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) contents of aqueous extracts of the selected herbs and spices (1 ml/200 mg substrates samples) were between 32.82 and 71.34 g/100 g OM, 4.10 and 10.25 MJ/kg DM and 0.28 and 1.31 μmol, respectively. Furthermore, the OMD, ME and SCFA contents of methanolic extracts of the selected herbs and spices (1 ml/200 mg substrates samples) were between 32.82 and 99.50 g/100 g OM, 4.10 and 14.37 MJ/kg DM and 0.28 and 2.07 μmol, respectively. Methane produced from the methanolic extracts of the herbs and spices highly differed (P < 0.05). This study suggests that extracts of the selected herbs and spices have the potential to affect rumen fermentation and also to reduce the methane production in sheep.

Prediction of biogas and pressure from rumen fermentation using plant extracts to enhance biodigestibility and mitigate biogases

Improving digestibility, fermentation characteristics, and reducing greenhouse biogases to protect the environment without the use of synthetic materials is an important goal of modern-day farming and nutritionist. Plant extracts are capable of solving these. This is due to the digestive enzymes and the bioactive components capable of performing antimicrobial functions inherent in these plants. This study was aimed to investigate the effect of standard maize substrate treated with selected herbs and spices extracts on ruminal environmental biogas production and pressure during fermentation via biogas production technique. Herbs (Azadirachta indica leaves (T1), Moringa oleifera leaves (T2), Ocimum gratissimum leaves (T3) and spices (Allium sativum bulb (T4), Zingiber officinale rhizome (T5)) were harvested, air dried, and milled using standard procedures. Methanolic extracts of the herbs and spices were prepared and used as additives at different concentrations (50, 100, and 150 μL) to the maize substrate for in vitro biogas production. Data were analyzed using regression analysis. There were significant (P < 0.05) differences across all the treatments on the volume and pressure of biogas. The pressure and volume of biogas when compared with the levels tested showed differences (P < 0.05) across all the treatments for the prediction of volume from pressure of biogas. The pressure and volume of gas produced in vitro increased (P < 0.05) and biogases decreased (P < 0.05) by the substrate treated with herbs and spices but for the drum stick leaves which was similar for the levels of concentration tested. This means that the level tested had a pronounced mitigation effect on pressure of biogas and volume of biogas produced. It was concluded that the herb and spice extracts have the potential to improve rumen fermentation and reduce the production of biogases in ruminant diet.