Bioinformation. 2015 May 28;11(5):261-6. doi: 10.6026/97320630011261. eCollection 2015.
- 1
- Department of Animal Nutrition, Central Institute for Research on Goats, Makhdoom, P.O. Farah, Mathura-281 122, Uttar Pradesh, India.
- 2
- Principal Scientist and Head, National Dairy Research Institute, ERS, Kalyani-741 235, Dist.-Nadia, (West Bengal), Uttar Pradesh, India.
- 3
- Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairy science, Raja Balwant Singh College (R.B.S. College), Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar University, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India.
- 4
- Indian Science and Technology Foundation (ISTF), C-1/31, Yamuna Vihar, New Delhi-110053, India.
Abstract
The present study was to evaluate effect of herbal
feed additives on methane and total gas production during the rumen
fermentation for environment and animal health concern. Different parts
of the five medicinal plants were selected such as leaf and small stems
of Ocimum sanctum (Tulsi), roots of Curcuma longa (Haldi), fruits of
Emblica officinalis (Amla), leaves of Azadirachta indica (Neem) and
leaves and small stem of Clerodendrum phlomidis (Arni) for our study.
Addition of different herbal
additive combinations did not influence IVDMD and total gas production
however methane production (mg/g of substrate DM) was significantly
(P<0.05) reduced in Amla: Neem and Neem: Arni combinations. Total
nitrogen significantly (P<0.01) increased in the combinations of
Tulsi: Haldi and Amla: Neem. TCA-ppt-N is significantly (P<0.01)
increased in Tulsi: Haldi, Haldi: Amla, Amla: Neem and Neem: Arni
however NH3-N (mg/dl) significantly decreased in all treatments. We
conclude that the screening of plant combinations, Amla: Neem and Neem:
Arni have potential to decrease methane production and our herbal feed supplements have no side-effects on the ruminant in small amount.
KEYWORDS:
Herbal feed additives; Medicinal plants; Methane; Rumen fermentation; Total gas
