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Asian Journal of Agriculture and Development (AJAD) - Call for papers!

Effects of tannin on the rumen ecology of carabao (Bubalus bubalis) and cattle (Bos indicus)

(Indonesia), Doctor of Philosophy in Animal Science (University of the Philippines Los Baños)

Dissertation Abstract:

This study aimed to determine the effects of tannin in the diet on the rumen ecology of carabao and cattle fed with rice straw. Specifically, it aimed to determine its effect on the rumen pH, temperature, and ammonia-N levels in sacco dry matter and protein digestibility, microbial population, and nutrient intake of carabao and cattle. Two studies were conducted to determine the effects of commercial vegetable tannin (CVT) at 0, 3, and 6 percent and Leucaena leucocephala (LCT) at 0, 6, and 12 percent of ration. The amount of feed offered was 2.5 percent of live weight on DM basis. Three rumen fistulated carabao and cattle (body weight 342 + 66.93 kg) were used in this experiment. The CVT in the diet significantly affected the intake of DM, CP, and NDF but not the rumen in sacco digestibility of DM, CP, and NDF; and rumen pH, temperature, and NH3-N. Carabao performed better than cattle in terms of the variables measured. Carabao had significantly higher values for degradation rate CP and significantly lower potentially degradable fraction CP; significantly higher intake of DM, CP, and NDF at 0 percent and 3 percent CVT levels; and significantly higher on average of NH3-N before feeding. Similar trend was noted when animals were fed with L. leucocephala. In this study, at high concentration of CVT (6%) and L. leucocephala (12%) in the diet, the intake and in sacco digestibility of nutrients were decreased. The CVT inhibited the population of R. flavefaciens and R. albus in carabao and cattle, and methanogens in cattle. The LCT enhanced the population of F. succinogenes in rumen carabao and cattle, enhanced R. albus in carabao, inhibited R. albus, R. flavefaciens, and methanogens in cattle. Cellulolytic and methanogenic bacteria were different, affected by levels of tannin as well as individual animal differences. Since tannin was shown to inhibit rumen methanogens, it will contribute to reducing methane emission to the environment. Additives in the diet of ruminants affected the performance of microorganisms in the rumen or rumen ecology as a system and ultimately can affect the performance of the ruminant itself. Tannins reduced the ability of nutrient to be digested by microbial rumen.