title: The Potential Role of Seaweeds in the Natural Manipulation of Rumen Fermentation and Methane Production.
abstract: This study is the first to evaluate the effects of five seaweeds (Ulva sp., Laminaria ochroleuca, Saccharina latissima, Gigartina sp., and Gracilaria vermiculophylla) on gas and methane production and ruminal fermentation parameters when incubated in vitro with two substrates (meadow hay and corn silage) for 24 h. Seaweeds led to lower gas production, with Gigartina sp. presenting the lowest value. When incubated with meadow hay, Ulva sp., Gigartina sp. and G. vermiculophylla decreased methane production, but with corn silage, methane production was only decreased by G. vermiculophylla. With meadow hay, L. ochroleuca and S. latissima promoted similar methane production as the control, but with corn silage, L. ochroleuca increased it. With the exception of S. latissima, all seaweeds promoted similar levels of total volatile fatty acid production. The highest proportion of acetic acid was produced with Ulva sp., G. vermiculophylla, and S. latissima; the highest proportion of butyric acid with the control and L. ochroleuca; and the highest proportion of iso-valeric acid with Gigartina sp. These results reveal the potential of seaweeds to mitigate ruminal methane production and the importance of the basal diet. To efficiently use seaweeds as feed ingredients with nutritional and environmental benefits, more research is required to determine the mechanisms underlying seaweed and substrate interactions.
authors: REQUIMTE, LAQV, ICBAS, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira n.° 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal.|REQUIMTE, LAQV, DGAOT, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal.
authors: Margarida R G
authors: MR
authors: Maia
authors: REQUIMTE, LAQV, ICBAS, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira n.° 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal.
authors: António J M
authors: AJ
authors: Fonseca
authors: REQUIMTE, LAQV, ICBAS, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira n.° 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal.
authors: Hugo M
authors: HM
authors: Oliveira
authors: ICBAS, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira n.° 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal.|CECA, Centro de Estudos em Ciência Animal, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal.
authors: Carla
authors: C
authors: Mendonça
authors: REQUIMTE, LAQV, ICBAS, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira n.° 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal.
authors: Ana R J
authors: AR
authors: Cabrita
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D004032:Diet; D004063:Digestion / Q000235:genetics; D005285:Fermentation; D008697:Methane / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D008892:Milk / Q000382:microbiology; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000737:chemistry; D012417:Rumen / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D012624:Seaweed / Q000737:chemistry*; D012820:Silage; D003313:Zea mays / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D009584:Nitrogen; D008697:Methane