Effects of feeding ground pods of Enterolobium cyclocarpum Jacq. Griseb on dry matter intake, rumen fermentation, and enteric methane production by Pelibuey sheep fed tropical grass.
An experiment was carried out to determine the effect of supplementing ground pods of Enterolobium cyclocarpum in a basal ration of Pennisetum purpureum grass on feed intake, rumen volatile fatty acids (VFAs), and protozoa and methane (CH4) production by hair sheep. Four male sheep (Pelibuey × Katahdin) with a mean live weight of 27.0 kg (SD ± 0.5) were supplemented with 0.00, 0.15, 0.30, and 0.45 kg of dry matter (DM) of E. cyclocarpum pods daily; equivalent to 0.00, 4.35, 8.70, and 13.05 g of crude saponins, respectively. Dry matter intake (DMI), organic matter intake (OMI), and molar proportions of propionic acid increased linearly (P < 0.05) as pods of E. cyclocarpum in the ration were increased. Higher intakes of DM and OM were found when lambs were fed 0.45 kg DM per day of E. cyclocarpum, and the highest proportion of propionic acid (0.21 and 0.22, respectively) was obtained with 0.15 and 0.30 kg of DM per lamb of E. cyclocarpum, while apparent digestibility of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and molar proportion of acetic acid were reduced (P < 0.05). Rumen CH4production decreased (P < 0.05) when 0.30 and 0.45 kg of DM/lamb/day of E. cyclocarpum were fed (21.8 and 25.3 L CH4/lamb/day, respectively). These results suggest that to improve the feeding of sheep fed tropical grass, it is advisable to supplement the basal ration with up to 0.30 kg DM of E. cyclocarpum pods.
Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, C.P. 97300, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico.
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Albores-Moreno
El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Avenida Rancho Polígono 2-A, Cd. Industrial, 24500, Lerma, Campeche, Mexico.
J A
JA
Alayón-Gamboa
Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, C.P. 97300, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico.
A J
AJ
Ayala-Burgos
Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, C.P. 97300, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico.
F J
FJ
Solorio-Sánchez
Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, C.P. 97300, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico.
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CF
Aguilar-Pérez
CINVESTAV-IPN, Unidad Mérida, Antigua Carretera a Progreso km 6, 97310, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico.
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Olivera-Castillo
Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, C.P. 97300, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico.
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JC
Ku-Vera
D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004063:Digestion / Q000187:drug effects*; D004435:Eating; D007887:Fabaceae; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile / Q000378:metabolism; D005285:Fermentation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008697:Methane / Q000378:metabolism*; D031782:Pennisetum; D012417:Rumen / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology; D012503:Saponins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism; D012756:Sheep; D034561:Sheep, Domestic
D004043:Dietary Fiber; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile; D012503:Saponins; D008697:Methane
Greenhouse gases; Mitigation; Saponins; Small ruminants; Tree forages