Evaluation of Megasphaera elsdenii supplementation on rumen fermentation, production performance, carcass traits and health of ruminants: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to evaluate the use of Megasphaera elsdenii (M. elsdenii) as a probiotic on rumen fermentation, production performance, carcass traits and health of ruminants by integrating data from various related studies using meta-analysis. METHODS: A total of 32 studies (consisted of 136 data points) were obtained and integrated into a database. The parameters integrated were fermentation products, rumen microbes, production performance, carcass quality, animal health, blood and urine metabolites. Statistical analysis of the compiled database used a mixed model methodology. Different studies were considered random effects, while M. elsdenii supplementation doses were considered fixed effects. p-values and the Akaike information criterion were employed as model statistics. The model was deemed significant at p<0.05 or had a tendency to be significant when p-value between 0.05〈p〈0.10. RESULTS: Supplementation with M. elsdenii increased (p<0.05) some proportion of fermented rumen products such as propionate, butyrate, isobutyrate, and valerate, and significantly reduced (p<0.05) lactic acid concentration, acetate proportion, total bacterial population and methane emission. Furthermore, the probiotic supplementation enhanced (p<0.05) livestock production performance, especially in the average daily gain and body condition score. Regarding the carcass quality, hot carcass weight and carcass gain were elevated (p<0.05) due to the M. elsdenii supplementation. Animal health also showed improvement as indicated by the lower (p<0.05) diarrhoea and bloat incidences as well as the liver abscess. However, M. elsdenii supplementation had negligible effects on blood and urine metabolites of ruminants. CONCLUSION: Supplementation of M. elsdenii is capable of decreasing ruminal lactic acid concentration, enhancing rumen health, elevating some favourable rumen fermentation products, and in turn, increasing production performance of ruminants.

Effectiveness of herbal plants on rumen fermentation, methane gas emissions, in vitro nutrient digestibility, and population of protozoa.

Background and Aim: Herbal plants have the potential to reduce the population of metagonic bacteria and protozoa due to the bioactive compound contained in herbal plants. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of herbal plant supplementation on rumen fermentation characteristics, methane (CH4) gas emissions, in vitro nutrient digestibility, and protozoan populations. Materials and Methods: This study consisted of two stages. Stage I involved determining the potential of herbal plants to increase total gas production (Orskov and McDonald methods) and reduce the protozoan population (Hristov method). Three potential herbs were selected at this stage and used in Stage II as supplements in the palm kernel cake (PKC)-based diet (30% herbal plants + 70% PKC). Proximate and Van Soest analyses were used to determine the chemical composition. In vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), organic matter (IVOMD), and rumen fermentation characteristics were determined using Theodorous method. Conway microdiffusion was used to determine ammonia concentration (NH3). Gas chromatography was used to determine the total and partial volatile fatty acid production. Results: The results of the first stage showed that seven herbal plants (Moringa oleifera, Rhodomyrtus tomentosa, Clerodendron serratum, Curcuma longa Linn., Urena lobata, Uncaria, and Parkia timoriana) significantly differed in terms of total gas production (p < 0.05). Herbal plants can increase gas production and reduce protozoan populations. The highest total gas production was observed using P. timoriana, M. oleifera, and C. longa Linn. Moringa oleifera plants were the most effective in lowering protozoa population. In Stage 2, the supplementation of herbal plants in PKC-based-diet significantly increased IVDMD, that was ranged from 56.72% to 65.77%, IVOMD that was ranged from 52.10% to 59.54%, and NH3, that was ranged from 13.20 mM to 17.91 mM. Volatile fatty acid partial and total gas production potential and CH4 gas emissions were also significantly different from those of the control (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Supplementation of M. oleifera, C. longa Linn., and P. timoriana in ruminant diet effectively increased total gas production, IVDMD percentage, and IVOMD, and reduced CH4 gas emissions and protozoa populations during rumen fermentation.

The effects of heat-moisture treatment on resistant starch levels in cassava and on fermentation, methanogenesis, and microbial populations in ruminants.

Background and Aim: Resistant starch (RS) is difficult to digest in the digestive tract. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of heat-moisture treatment (HMT) on RS in cassava and examined its impact on rumen fermentation. Materials and Methods: Cassava flour was used as a raw material and used in a randomized block design with four different cycles of HMT as the treatments and four different rumen incubations in vitro as blocks. Treatments included: HMT0: without HMT (control), HMT1: one HMT cycle, HMT2: two HMT cycles, and HMT3: three HMT cycles. Heat-moisture treatment processes were performed at 121°C for 15 min and then freezing at -20°C for 6 h. Analyzed HMT cassava starch characteristics included components, digestibility, and physicochemical properties. In in vitro rumen fermentation studies (48 h incubation) using HMT cassava, digestibility, gas production, methane, fermentation profiles, and microbial population assessments were performed. Results: Heat-moisture treatment significantly reduced (p < 0.05) starch, amylopectin, rapidly digestible starch (RDS), and slowly digestible starch levels. In contrast, amylose, reducing sugars, very RDS, RS, and protein digestion levels were significantly increased (p < 0.05). Additionally, a reduced crystallinity index and an increased amorphous index were observed in starch using Fourier-transform infrared analyses, while a change in crystalline type from type A to type B, along with a reduction in crystallinity degree, was observed in X-ray diffraction analyses. Heat-moisture treatment significantly (p < 0.05) reduced rumen dry matter (DM) degradation, gas production, methane (CH4 for 12 h), volatile fatty acid (VFA), and propionate levels. In addition, acetate, butyrate, and acetate/propionate ratios, as well as population of Streptococcus bovis and Bacteroides were significantly increased (p < 0.05). However, pH, ammonia, and organic matter digestibility were unaffected (p > 0.05) by HMT. Conclusion: Cassava HMT altered starch characteristics, significantly increased RS, which appeared to limit rumen digestion activity, decreased rumen DM degradation, gas production, VFAs, and CH4 production for 12 h, but increased S. bovis and Bacteroides levels.

Meta-analysis of dietary chitosan effects on performance, nutrient utilization, and product characteristics of ruminants.

Chitosan (CHI) has been used as a feed additive in ruminant diets, but the effects obtained to date have been varied. This study aimed to evaluate the dietary addition of CHI on performance, nutrient utilization, and product characteristics of ruminants by using a meta-analysis approach. A total of 15 articles that composed of 21 studies and 57 data points were included in the database. Number of articles reported the effects of dietary CHI addition were six on beef cattle, seven on dairy cows, and two papers on sheep. Data analysis was based on the mixed model methodology, in which CHI addition levels were considered as fixed effects whereas different studies were treated as random effects. Results revealed that, across various studies, CHI decreased ruminal acetate proportion (p < 0.05) and increased propionate proportion (p < 0.01). Dry matter and crude protein digestibility were elevated due to CHI addition (p < 0.05). CHI decreased blood cholesterol level (p < 0.05) and increased monounsaturated fatty acid proportion in the milk (p < 0.05). However, CHI addition had no effect on dry matter intake, milk production, and milk efficiency of ruminants. In conclusion, CHI is able to modify rumen fermentation towards a favorable direction, but it limitedly affects performance of ruminants.

Lens on Tropical Sericulture Development in Indonesia: Recent Status and Future Directions for Industry and Social Forestry.

The domestic silkworm or mulberry silk moth, B. mori L., provides more than 99% of the world's silk. Silk, as a sericulture product, was first introduced in Indonesia through a trade mechanism and began to develop in 1953. Several factors (economic, ecological, market, and cultural) support sericulture and make it become one of the non-timber forest product priorities. However, the competitive advantages alone have not encouraged the development of prospective sericulture industry in Indonesia yet. This paper is a review of tropical sericulture development in Indonesia. The literature on the development of sericulture in Indonesia between 1989 and 2022 is used to describe conditions related to mulberry cultivation (moriculture), and silkworm rearing (sericulture), as well as the state of socio-economic development, culture, and institutions. Moriculture and sericulture techniques, socio-economic aspects, institutional arrangements, and community motivations are intertwined, creating a challenging atmosphere for sericulture development. There are potential resources, such as exploring quality mulberry production and quality silkworm production through research and development, valuable cultural aspects, and potential stakeholders to build network engagement. Commitment, cooperation, and action from all stakeholders are needed to enhance the development of sericulture in Indonesia. In this context, the central government can play an important role in facilitating multi-stakeholder partnerships in the development of integrated sericulture in Indonesia.

Lowering Chitin Content of Cricket (Gryllus assimilis) Through Exoskeleton Removal and Chemical Extraction and its Utilization as a Ruminant Feed in vitro.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Cricket contains high crude protein level but it also contains considerable amount of chitin that may impede nutrient digestion and decrease production performance of animal. This experiment aimed to decrease chitin content of cricket (C) through exoskeleton removal (CER) or by chemical extraction (CCE). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nutritional evaluation of cricket was performed in two experiments. In experiment 1, three forms of cricket were prepared, i.e., C, CER and CCE. These were subjected to chemical composition determination and in vitro rumen fermentation incubation as individual substrates. In experiment 2, C and CER were included in concentrate rations at different proportions to substitute soybean meal (SBM), i.e., R1 (concentrate containing 30% SBM), R2 (50% SBM was substituted by C), R3 (100% SBM was replaced by C) and R4 (100% SBM was replaced by CER). The concentrates were then evaluated in vitro for their rumen fermentation and digestibility characteristics. Data were analyzed with analysis of variance and Duncan's test. RESULTS: Cricket was high in crude protein(CP), ether extract (EE) and chitin contents. Removal of exoskeleton decreased CP and chitin contents of cricket. Chemical extraction of cricket increased its CP and completely removed its chitin. Main fatty acids observed in cricket were linoleic acid, palmitic acid, oleic acid and stearic acid and the composition was unaltered due to exoskeleton removal or chemical extraction. Cricket was relatively highly digestible and exoskeleton removal and chemical extraction did not further improve in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) and in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) of cricket. The R1 and R2 revealed similar IVDMD and IVOMD, but R3 and R4 resulted in lower values for both parameters than those of R1 and R2 (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Exoskeleton removal or chemical extraction effectively reduced chitin content of cricket and the insect may be used to substitute SBM up to 50% in concentrate for ruminant.