RESUMO
In vitro gas measurement study was known to be a helpful tool for investigating the nutritional quality of feed for ruminant animals. This research was conducted to explore the ruminal fermentation and methane emission potential, and their variability pattern with changing seasons and altitudes for Commelina species, using in vitro test. Samples of the species were collected from different altitudes and seasons and used for the in vitro degradability study. Five species (C.africana, C. albescence, C. benghalensis, C. imberbis and C. diffusa), two altitudes (low and mid), and two seasons (wet and dry) were arranged in a 5 × 2 x 2 factorial manner in a completely randomized design, with three repeats of each treatment. In vitro gas and methane production as well as methane to total gas ratio were all meaningfully (P < 0.001) affected by season and altitude with the highest values observed in wet season and mid altitudes. At 24 h incubation, 44.76 and 37.82 ml/200 mg DM of total gas production was noted for wet and dry seasons respectively, while 39.77 and 47.38 ml/200 mg DM was recorded for low and mid altitudes respectively. Average gas production from immediately fermentable fractions (a) for wet season (4.21 ml) was reasonably (P < 0.001) higher than those for dry season (2.16 ml). Midlands (5.04 ml) had higher (P < 0.001) 'a' value than lowlands (2.77 ml). Both methane production and methane to total gas ratio exhibited a tangible decrease (P < 0.001) from wet season to dry season. 4.88 ml/200 mg DM and 6.52 ml/200 mg DM methane records were recorded for lowlands and midlands respectively. It appears that Commelina species contain nutrients that degrade in vitro, highlighting their potential supplement value for animals. The promising gas production potential added to its low methanogenic coefficient relative to the other species makes C. diffusa to the preferred supplement for poor-quality roughages followed by C. benghalensis and C. imberbis and the rest species being least preferred. But further nutrient analysis, minerals, secondary metabolites and the like, was required. And, in vivo trials must be conducted to strengthen the implications of this study.
RESUMO
Condensed tannins (CT) extracted from Balanites aegyptiaca, Tamarindus indica, and Celtis toka browses were used to evaluate their anthelmintic effect on different developmental stages of Haemonchus contortus. To achieve this objective, various serial concentrations of each CT extract of the foliages were used to test adult motility, inhibition of egg hatchability, and larval development. The fodders were selected based on their multipurpose advantage and accessibility to use as fodder for livestock in the low lands of the Gambella region. The fastest and slowest adult motility rate was observed in 2-ml (4 min) and 0.125-ml dose of C. toka, respectively, which is better than that in ivermectin. Egg hatchability inhibition was observed with dose difference within species, but there is no difference between B. aegyptiaca and T. indica. The foliage extracts of the studied browses were observed to inhibit the larvae by 100% at 2 ml, which is similar to ivermectin. There is no significant difference observed in larvae development inhibition between the species and ivermectin (p > 0.05). CT extracts of studied plants have found to own significant anthelmintic activity in a dose-dependent manner. They could serve as anthelmintic economically and eco-friendly after further and series of in vivo experiments.