Effect of treating recycled poultry bedding with tannin extracted from pomegranate peel on rumen fermentation parameters and cellulolytic bacterial population in Arabian fattening lambs.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of recycled poultry bedding (RPB) treated with different levels of pomegranate peel extract (PPE) as a tannin source on cellulolytic bacterial population and rumen fermentation parameters of fattening lambs. For this purpose, twenty-eight Arabian lambs (19.70 ± 2.45 kg body weight, 90 ± 12 days of age) were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments. Recycled poultry bedding was treated with PPE at four levels of 0 (control), 20.00, 25.00 and 30.00% on DM basis. Bacterial populations were enumerated by DNA extraction of samples of rumen liquor followed by real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis. Also, rumen samples were evaluated for pH, volatile fatty acid (VFA) and ammonia nitrogen (AN) concentrations. The populations of total bacteria, Ruminococcus albus and Fibrobacter succinogenes were decreased significantly as the level of PPE in the diet increased, however, the population of Ruminococcus flavefaciens was not affected. Dietary treatments did not have effect on ruminal pH, while AN concentration was decreased in the diets containing RPB treated with PPE compared to the control. Concentrations of total VFA and individual VFA remained unchanged by PPE-treated RPB inclusion in the diet. In conclusion, supplementing RPB with PPE improved nitrogen metabolism of fattening lambs, however, it decreased population of rumen cellulolytic bacteria R. flavefaciens.

Performance and ruminal parameters of fattening Moghani lambs fed recycled poultry bedding.

This study investigated the effects of recycled poultry bedding (RPB) on performance and protozoa population, microbial enzyme activity and microbial protein synthesis (MPS) in rumen contents of fattening lambs. Thirty-six male Moghani lambs (31.4 ± 3.2 kg body weight) were fed iso-energetic and iso-nitrogenous diets containing 0, 70, 140 or 210 g/kg dry matter (DM) RPB in a balanced randomized design (9 lambs per treatment). Results showed that final body weight, DM intake, average daily gain and feed conversion ratio were unchanged (P > 0.05) by RPB inclusion. Total protozoa population and sub-family of Entoniniinae and Diplodiniiae were linearly decreased by RPB (L, P < 0.05). For rumen fibrolytic enzymes including carboxymethyl-cellulase, microcrystalline-cellulase and filter paper degrading activity, the extra cellular, cellular and total (extra cellular plus cellular fraction) activity were similar (P > 0.05) by feeding the experimental diets. Inclusion of RPB in the diet linearly decreased extra cellular and total α-amylase activity (L, P < 0.05), while cellular activity was unchanged (P > 0.05). The extra cellular activity of proteases tended to increase (L, P = 0.07) and their total and cellular activity increased (P > 0.05) in lambs fed RPB. Incorporation of RPB into the diet had no effect (L, P > 0.05) on urinary purine derivative excretion and MPS. In conclusion, inclusion of RPB up to 210 g/kg DM had no negative impact on performance, ruminal fibrolytic enzyme activity and MPS, while it increased rumen protease activity and decreased protozoa population in fattening Moghani lambs.

The comparison of digestibility of treated sugarcane tops silage by bacteria or whole microorganisms of Holstein cow and buffalo rumen.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of adding sulfuric acid to sugarcane tops silage on rumen bacteria and whole rumen microorganisms (WRM) and compare the digestibility of sugarcane tops treated with different amount of urea, molasses and sulfuric acid between Holstein cow and Khouzestan buffalo. Regardless of the type of the treatment, potential of gas production (B) by cow WRM (130.670 mL) was more than buffalo (104.060 mL) (p < 0.05), but the rate of gas production (C) by buffalo WRM was greater than cow (0.021 and 0.014 mL per hr, respectively) (p < 0.05). The C in treatment containing only 2.40% sulfuric acid (0.033 mL per hr) was significantly highest (p < 0.05). Regardless of the type of the treatment, the B by cow rumen bacteria (75.040 mL) was more than buffalo (67.150 mL), (p < 0.05), while the C by rumen bacteria of buffalo (0.030 mL per hr) was more than cow (0.017 mL per hr), (p < 0.05). Regardless of the type of the animal, the B coefficient of rumen bacteria in treatment only containing 2.40% sulfuric acid was higher than control (p < 0.05). Therefore, the addition of sulfuric acid not only had no negative effect on microorganisms particularly bacteria, but also probably due to present of sulfur in acid, had positive effect on nutrients digestibility, and growth of microorganisms. The digestibility of sugarcane tops silage treated by cow rumen bacteria and whole microorganisms was higher than buffalo.