Effect of tannins from tropical plants on methane production from ruminants: A systematic review.

Methane (CH4) is a greenhouse gas generated during the feed fermentation processes in the rumen. However, numerous studies have been conducted to determine the capacity of plant secondary metabolites to enhance ruminal fermentation and decrease CH4 production, especially those plants rich in tannins. This review conducted a descriptive analysis and meta-analysis of the use of tannin-rich plants in tropical regions to mitigate CH4 production from livestock. The aim of this study was to analyse the effect of tannins supplementation in tropical plants on CH4 production in ruminants using a meta-analytic approach and the effect on microbial population. Sources of heterogeneity were explored using a meta-regression analysis. Final database was integrated by a total of 14 trials. The 'meta' package in R statistical software was used to conduct the meta-analyses. The covariates defined a priori in the current meta-regression were inclusion level, species (sheep, beef cattle, dairy cattle, and cross-bred heifers) and plant. Results showed that supplementation with tropical plants with tannin contents have the greatest effects on CH4 mitigation . A negative relationship was observed between the level of inclusion and CH4 emission (-0.09), which means that the effect of CH4 mitigation is increasing as the level of tannin inclusion is higher. Therefore, less CH4 production will be obtained when supplementing tropical plants in the diet with a high dose of tannins.

Review: Strategies for enteric methane mitigation in cattle fed tropical forages.

Methane (CH4) is a greenhouse gas (GHG) produced and released by eructation to the atmosphere in large volumes by ruminants. Enteric CH4 contributes significantly to global GHG emissions arising from animal agriculture. It has been contended that tropical grasses produce higher emissions of enteric CH4 than temperate grasses, when they are fed to ruminants. A number of experiments have been performed in respiration chambers and head-boxes to assess the enteric CH4 mitigation potential of foliage and pods of tropical plants, as well as nitrates (NO3-) and vegetable oils in practical rations for cattle. On the basis of individual determinations of enteric CH4 carried out in respiration chambers, the average CH4 yield for cattle fed low-quality tropical grasses (>70% ration DM) was 17.0 g CH4/kg DM intake. Results showed that when foliage and ground pods of tropical trees and shrubs were incorporated in cattle rations, methane yield (g CH4/kg DM intake) was decreased by 10% to 25%, depending on plant species and level of intake of the ration. Incorporation of nitrates and vegetable oils in the ration decreased enteric CH4 yield by ∼6% to ∼20%, respectively. Condensed tannins, saponins and starch contained in foliages, pods and seeds of tropical trees and shrubs, as well as nitrates and vegetable oils, can be fed to cattle to mitigate enteric CH4 emissions under smallholder conditions. Strategies for enteric CH4 mitigation in cattle grazing low-quality tropical forages can effectively increase productivity while decreasing enteric CH4 emissions in absolute terms and per unit of product (e.g. meat, milk), thus reducing the contribution of ruminants to GHG emissions and therefore to climate change.

Sheep performance under intensive continuous grazing of native grasslands of Paspalum notatum and Axonopus compressus in the subtropical region of the Highlands of Central Mexico.

Liveweight gain was evaluated in tropical Dorper X Pelibuey lambs under intensive continuous grazing of native grasslands dominated by Paspalum notatum (PN) or Axonopus compressus (AC) in the subtropics of Central Mexico. Two trials were undertaken. Trial 1 lasted 12 weeks with 10 lambs (initial weight 18 +/- 2.57 kg, 3 months old) per treatment in 2002, and Trial 2 for 13 weeks with 8 lambs (initial weight 24.0 +/- 2.0 kg, 4 months old) per treatment. Lambs were weighed once per week, and liveweight change was estimated by linear regression over day of the experiment, using individual regression coefficients as unbiased estimates of daily liveweight change; analysed in a random block design. Lambs on Trial 1 gained 0.061 kg/lamb/day on PN and 0.047 kg/lamb/day on AC (P > 0.05) at an overall mean stocking rate of 25 lambs/ha. In Trial 2, liveweight gain was significantly larger in PN (0.060 kg/lamb/day) than on AC (0.043 kg/lamb/day) (P < 0.05), at a mean stocking rate of 21.5 lambs/ha. It is concluded that intensive continuous grazing of native grasslands in the subtropics of the highlands of Central Mexico enables moderate liveweight gains for weaned lambs during the rainy season; with better results in grasslands dominated by Paspalum notatum.

Digestible energy requirements of Mexican donkeys fed oat straw and maize stover.

The limited availability of food, together with the constraints that traditional management systems impose on the natural foraging behaviour of donkeys, often results in severe under-nutrition. Few studies have been conducted into the digestibility of different forages and little information exists on nutritional requirements of donkeys. In order to measure digestible energy requirements of donkeys under tropical conditions, an experiment was carried out at the Centre for Research in Agricultural Science (CICA) and the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the Universidad Aut6noma del Estado de México located in the Toluca valley, Central Mexico. Thirty-two donkeys of a body condition typical for Central Mexico were divided into four groups of 8 animals each according to their sex and live weight: group 1 (G1) comprised male donkeys below the average body weight (102+/-5 kg); group 2 (G2) comprised male donkeys of average body weight (121.5+/-4 kg); group 3 (G3) comprised female donkeys below average weight (111.8 +/- 5 kg); and group 4 (G4) comprised female donkeys of average weight (127.6 +/- 5 kg). A diet of oat straw or maize stover and 15% alfalfa hay was offered to meet exact maintenance requirements. The donkeys were monitored for 13 months. The live weight of all animals was recorded daily in order to monitor whether maintenance requirements were being met. Mean daily digestible energy (DE) requirements were measured during the winter, spring, summer and autumn of 2003-2004. Digestible energy requirements of all four sex and liveweight groups were significantly (p > 0.05) higher during the spring than during the other seasons of the year (13.5, 18.0, 10.4 and 14.3 MJ DE per day during winter, spring, summer and autumn, respectively). Predicted DE requirements of donkeys with a live weight range betweenn 90 and 150 kg using the data from the present study were less than those predicted using scaled-down horse feeding standards.

Participatory study on feeding strategies for working donkeys used by Campesino farmers in the highlands of central Mexico.

The aim of this work was to describe the feeding strategies for donkeys used by peasant farmers in central Mexico. Feeding strategies for the dry and wet seasons are described, as well as the nutritional characteristics of the main forages and supplements used by the farmers. The extent to which the feeding practices used by farmers matched the digestible energy and crude protein requirements of donkeys for maintenance and work was determined. It was concluded that grazing on native grassland could provide enough energy and protein for donkeys at maintenance level and for those performing only a moderate amount of work. More research in required in order to have better estimates of intake and plant species preferred by donkeys under prevailing grazing conditions.

Feeding strategies for rearing replacement heifers in small-scale dairy production systems in the highlands of Central Mexico.

The growth of Holstein heifers in the campesino dairy systems in the highlands of Mexico was evaluated in three feeding strategies. Thirty-three heifers from 11 farmers, grouped according to strategy, were weighed every 14 days for 28 weeks. The live weight change over each 14-day period was estimated by individually regressing live weight over period, taking the regression coefficient as an unbiased estimate of live weight change. Regression coefficients were analysed as a randomized design with feeding strategies as treatments. Strategies were as follows: S1: grazed or cut pasture all year, maize silage and maize straw in the dry season, and 1.0-1.5 kg concentrate/heifer per day. S2: maize straw in the dry season, cut pasture forage, grazing of native grass, weeds from maize fields, and 1.0-1.5 kg concentrate/heifer per day. S3: maize straw in the dry season, grazed native grasses and weeds in the rainy season. Live weight gains were: S1, 0.511 kg/heifer per day; S2, 0.271 kg/heifer per day; and S3, 0.252 kg/heifer per day. Despite the better gains in S1, they are 24% below recommendations, arriving to service at 20 months of age. Not rearing their replacements may be a better alternative for campesino farmers under current economic conditions.