Mitigation of methane production from cattle by feeding cashew nut shell liquid.
The effects of cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL) feeding on methane production and rumen fermentation were investigated by repeatedly using 3 Holstein nonlactating cows with rumen fistulas. The cows were fed a concentrate and hay diet (6:4 ratio) for 4 wk (control period) followed by the same diet with a CNSL-containing pellet for the next 3 wk (CNSL period). Two trials were conducted using CNSL pellets blended with only silica (trial 1) or with several other ingredients (trial 2). Each pellet type was fed to cows to allow CNSL intake at 4 g/100 kg of body weight per day. Methane production was measured in a respiration chamber system, and energy balance, nutrient digestibility, and rumen microbial changes were monitored. Methane production per unit of dry matter intake decreased by 38.3 and 19.3% in CNSL feeding trials 1 and 2, respectively. Energy loss as methane emission decreased from 9.7 to 6.1% (trial 1) and from 8.4 to 7.0% (trial 2) with CNSL feeding, whereas the loss to feces (trial 1) and heat production (trial 2) increased. Retained energy did not differ between the control and CNSL periods. Digestibility of dry matter and gross energy decreased with CNSL feeding in trial 1, but did not differ in trial 2. Feeding CNSL caused a decrease in acetate and total short-chain fatty acid levels and an increase in propionate proportion in both trials. Relative copy number of methyl coenzyme-M reductase subunit A gene and its expression decreased with CNSL feeding. The relative abundance of fibrolytic or formate-producing species such as Ruminococcus flavefaciens, Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens, and Treponema bryantii decreased, but species related to propionate production, including Prevotella ruminicolla, Selenomonas ruminantium, Anaerovibrio lipolytica, and Succinivibrio dextrinosolvens, increased. If used in a suitable formulation, CNSL acts as a potent methane-inhibiting and propionate-enhancing agent through the alteration of rumen microbiota without adversely affecting feed digestibility.
National Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, Ibaraki 305-0901, Japan.
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T
Shinkai
National Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, Ibaraki 305-0901, Japan.
O
O
Enishi
National Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, Ibaraki 305-0901, Japan.
M
M
Mitsumori
National Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, Ibaraki 305-0901, Japan.
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K
Higuchi
National Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, Ibaraki 305-0901, Japan.
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Y
Kobayashi
National Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, Ibaraki 305-0901, Japan.
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A
Takenaka
Environment and Biotechnology Laboratory, Idemitsu Kosan Co. Ltd., Sodegaura 299-0293, Japan.
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K
Nagashima
Environment and Biotechnology Laboratory, Idemitsu Kosan Co. Ltd., Sodegaura 299-0293, Japan.
M
M
Mochizuki
Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Hokkaido 060-8589, Japan. Electronic address: kyas@anim.agr.hokudai.ac.jp.
Y
Y
Kobayashi
D031021:Anacardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D004063:Digestion / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005285:Fermentation / Q000187:drug effects; D008697:Methane / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009754:Nuts / Q000378:metabolism*; D012417:Rumen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
D008697:Methane