Volume 95, Issue 5, March 30, 2015, Pages 1031-1038
a
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge Research Centre, P.O. Box 3000, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
b Laboratoire de Pharmacognosie et des Huiles Essentielles, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Faculte des Sciences de la Sante, Université d'Abomey-Calavi, ISBA Champ de Foire, 01 BP 918, Cotonou, Benin
c Laboratoire de Phytochimie, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques de Natitingou, Faculté de Médecine de Parakou, Université de Parakou, Parakou, Benin
b Laboratoire de Pharmacognosie et des Huiles Essentielles, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Faculte des Sciences de la Sante, Université d'Abomey-Calavi, ISBA Champ de Foire, 01 BP 918, Cotonou, Benin
c Laboratoire de Phytochimie, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques de Natitingou, Faculté de Médecine de Parakou, Université de Parakou, Parakou, Benin
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Plants
from West Africa commonly used in both human and veterinary medicine
contain various secondary metabolites. However, their potential in
mitigating ruminal methane production has not been explored. This study
examined the effects of seven essential oils (EOs) from plants acclimated to Benin at four dosages (100, 200, 300 and 400 mg L-1),
on in vitro rumen microbial fermentation and methane production using
Andropogon gayanus grass as a substrate. RESULTS: Compared to control,
Laurus nobilis (300-400 mg L-1), Citrus aurantifolia (300-400 mg L-1) and Ocimum gratissimum (200-400 mg L-1) decreased (P < 0.05) methane production (mL g-1 DM) by 8.1-11.8%, 11.9-17.8% and 7.9-30.6%, respectively. Relative to the control, reductions in methane (mL g-1 DM) of 11.4%, 13.5% and 14.2% were only observed at 400 mg L-1
for Eucalyptus citriodora, Ocimum basilicum and Cymbopogon citratus,
respectively. These EOs lowered methane without reducing concentrations
of total volatile fatty acids or causing a shift from acetate to
propionate production. All EOs (except M. piperita) reduced (P <
0.05) apparent dry matter (DM) disappearance of A. gayanus. CONCLUSIONS:
The current study demonstrated that EOs from plants grown in Benin
inhibited in vitro methane production mainly through a reduction in
apparent DM digestibility. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.
Author keywords
Digestibility; Essential oil; in vitro; Methane; Rumen; Volatile fatty acids
Indexed keywords
Species Index: Andropogon gayanus; Citrus
aurantiifolia; Corymbia citriodora; Cymbopogon citratus; Laurus nobilis;
Ocimum basilicum; Ocimum gratissimum