RESUMO
Ruminants produce large amounts of the greenhouse gas, methane, which can be reduced by supplementing feed with products that contain anti-methanogenic compounds, such as the solid winemaking by-product, grape marc. The aim of this study was to exploit compositional differences in grape marc to better understand the roles of condensed tannin and fatty acids in altering methanogenesis in a ruminant system. Grape marc samples varying in tannin extractability, tannin size and subunit composition, and fatty acid or tannin concentrations were selected and incubated in rumen fluid using an in vitro batch fermentation approach with a concentrate-based control. Four distinct experiments were designed to investigate the effects on overall fermentation and methane production. Generally, fatty acid concentration in grape marc was associated with decreased total gas volumes and volatile fatty acid concentration, whereas increased condensed tannin concentration tended to decrease methane percentage. Smaller, extractable tannin was more effective at reducing methane production, without decreasing overall gas production. In conclusion, fatty acids and tannin concentration, and tannin structure in grape marc play a significant role in the anti-methanogenic effect of this by-product when studied in vitro. These results should be considered when developing strategies to reduce methane in ruminants by feeding grape marc.
Assuntos
Ácidos Graxos , Metano/biossíntese , Taninos , Vitis/química , Ração Animal , Animais , Ácidos Graxos/química , Fermentação , Polimerização , Ruminantes , Taninos/químicaRESUMO
The effect of increasing the concentration of commercial pequi (Caryocar brasiliense) oil on fermentation characteristics and abundance of methanogens and fibrolityc bacteria was evaluated using the rumen simulation technique (Rusitec). In vitro incubation was performed over 15 days using a basal diet consisting of ryegrass, maize silage and concentrate in equal proportions. Treatments consisted of control diet (no pequi oil inclusion, 0 g/kg DM), pequi dose 1 (45 g/kg DM), and pequi dose 2 (91 g/kg DM). After a 7 day adaptation period, samples for fermentation parameters (total gas, methane, and VFA production) were taken on a daily basis. Quantitative real time PCR (q-PCR) was used to evaluate the abundance of the main rumen cellulolytic bacteria, as well as abundance of methanogens. Supplementation with pequi oil did not reduce overall methane production (P = 0.97), however a tendency (P = 0.06) to decrease proportion of methane in overall microbial gas was observed. Increasing addition of pequi oil was associated with a linear decrease (P < 0.01) in dry matter disappearance of maize silage. The abundance of total methanogens was unchanged by the addition of pequi oil, but numbers of those belonging to Methanomassiliicoccaceae decreased in liquid-associated microbes (LAM) samples (P < 0.01) and solid-associated microbes (SAM) samples (P = 0.09) respectively, while Methanobrevibacter spp. increased (P < 0.01) only in SAM samples. Fibrobacter succinogenes decreased (P < 0.01) in both LAM and SAM samples when substrates were supplemented with pequi oil. In conclusion, pequi oil was ineffective in mitigating methane emissions and had some adverse effects on digestibility and selected fibrolytic bacteria.
Assuntos
Gorduras Insaturadas na Dieta/farmacologia , Ericales/química , Fermentação/efeitos dos fármacos , Óleos de Plantas/farmacologia , Rúmen/microbiologia , Animais , Bovinos , Digestão/fisiologia , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Fibrobacter/metabolismo , Metano/biossíntese , Methanobrevibacter/metabolismo , Methanomicrobiaceae/metabolismo , Rúmen/metabolismo , Silagem/microbiologiaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: The industrial processing of olive generates a high quantity of by-products. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of products derived from olive trees, i.e. leaves, fruits or kernels as a sole substrate (part A), and crude extract from leaves combined with a substrate (part B) on rumen microbial fermentation in an in vitro batch fermentation system. In this study, total gas production, methane production, and concentrations of volatile fatty acids (VFA) and ammonia in ruminal fluid were measured. RESULTS: In part A, in vitro fermentation of leaves or fruits yielded a gas and total VFA production that were comparable with control substrate, while most of them produced significantly less methane (up to 55.6%) when compared to control substrate. In part B, amongst leaf extracts, only addition of chloroform extract reduced methane production, which was also associated with a decrease (P < 0.01) in gas production. This effect was associated with a significant reduction (P < 0.01) in acetate to propionate ratio and ammonia production, but not in reduction in VFA concentrations. CONCLUSION: Olive leaf and olive leaf chloroform extract reduced ammonia production and increased the molar proportion of propionate in the rumen and can assist in developing novel feed additives for methane mitigation from the rumen. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.
Assuntos
Fermentação , Frutas , Metano/biossíntese , Olea , Extratos Vegetais/farmacologia , Folhas de Planta , Rúmen/efeitos dos fármacos , Ácido Acético/metabolismo , Amônia/metabolismo , Animais , Digestão/efeitos dos fármacos , Indústria Alimentícia , Técnicas In Vitro , Propionatos/metabolismo , Rúmen/metabolismo , Rúmen/microbiologiaRESUMO
Methanogenic archaea (methanogens) are common inhabitants of the mammalian intestinal tract. In ruminants, they are responsible for producing abundant amounts of methane during digestion of food, but selected bioactive plants and compounds may inhibit this activity. Recently, we have identified that, Biserrula pelecinus L. (biserrula) is one such plant and the current study investigated the specific anti-methanogenic activity of the plant. Bioassay-guided extraction and fractionation, coupled with in vitro fermentation batch culture were used to select the most bioactive fractions of biserrula. The four fractions were then tested against five species of methanogens grown in pure culture. Fraction bioactivity was assessed by measuring methane production and amplification of the methanogen mcrA gene. Treatments that showed bioactivity were subcultured in fresh broth without the bioactive fraction to distinguish between static and cidal effects. All four fractions were active against pure cultures, but the F2 fraction was the most consistent inhibitor of both methane production and cell growth, affecting four species of methanogens and also producing equivocal-cidal effects on the methanogens. Other fractions had selective activity affecting only some methanogens, or reducing either methane production or methanogenic cell growth. In conclusion, the anti-methanogenic activity of biserrula can be linked to compounds contained in selected bioactive fractions, with the F2 fraction strongly affecting key rumen methanogens. Further study is required to identify the specific plant compounds in biserrula that are responsible for the anti-methanogenic activity. These findings will help devise novel strategies to control methanogen populations and activity in the rumen, and consequently contribute in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from ruminants.
Assuntos
Euryarchaeota/efeitos dos fármacos , Fabaceae/química , Metano/antagonistas & inibidores , Extratos Vegetais/farmacologia , Animais , Técnicas de Cultura Celular por Lotes , Bovinos , Fracionamento Químico/métodos , Meios de Cultura/química , Euryarchaeota/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Euryarchaeota/isolamento & purificação , Euryarchaeota/metabolismo , Fermentação/efeitos dos fármacos , Metano/biossíntese , Extratos Vegetais/química , Extratos Vegetais/isolamento & purificação , Rúmen/microbiologiaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Ruminants produce large quantities of methane in their rumen as a by-product of microbial digestion of feed. Antibiotics are added to ruminant feed to reduce wasteful production of methane; however, this practice has some downsides. A search for safer and natural feed additives with anti-methanogenic properties is under way. The objective of this research was to examine selected feed additives, plant essential oils and plant extracts for their anti-methanogenic potential in the rumen using an in vitro batch fermentation system. RESULTS: A significant reduction (P < 0.05) in methane production was observed with nine feed additives (up to 40% reduction), all eight essential oils (up to 75% reduction) and two plant extracts (14% reduction) when compared to their respective controls. Amongst these, only an algal meal high in docosahexaenoic acid, preparations of Nannochloropsis oculata, calcareous marine algae, yeast metabolites and two tannins did not inhibit microbial gas and volatile acid production. CONCLUSIONS: The current study identified some potent dietary ingredients or plant compounds that can assist in developing novel feed additives for methane mitigation from the rumen.
Assuntos
Ração Animal , Fenômenos Fisiológicos da Nutrição Animal , Aditivos Alimentares/farmacologia , Metano/biossíntese , Óleos Voláteis/farmacologia , Extratos Vegetais/farmacologia , Rúmen/efeitos dos fármacos , Animais , Dieta , Digestão , Grão Comestível/metabolismo , Fermentação/efeitos dos fármacos , Rúmen/metabolismo , Ruminantes/metabolismo , Estramenópilas , Taninos , LevedurasRESUMO
Campylobacter jejuni is the most common cause of acute enteritis in humans, with symptoms such as diarrhoea, fever and abdominal cramps. In this study, 115 extracts from 109 Australian plant species were investigated for their antimicrobial activities against two C. jejuni strains using an in vitro broth microdilution assay. Among the plants tested, 107 (93%) extracts showed activity at a concentration between 32 and 1024 µg/mL against at least one C. jejuni strain. Seventeen plant extracts were selected for further testing against another six C. jejuni strains, as well as Campylobacter coli, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Bacillus cereus, Proteus mirabilis and Enterococcus faecalis. The extract from Eucalyptus occidentalis demonstrated the highest antimicrobial activity, with an inhibitory concentration of 32 µg/mL against C. jejuni and B. cereus. This study has shown that extracts of selected Australian plants possess antimicrobial activity against C. jejuni and thus may have application in the control of this organism in live poultry and retail poultry products.