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ARS Home » Northeast Area » University Park, Pennsylvania » Pasture Systems & Watershed Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #335833
Title: Effect of feeding legumes containing condensed tannins with orchardgrass on ruminal fermentation and methane production in continuous culture

Author
item ROCA-FERNANDEZ, ANA - Universidad De Chile
item Dillard, Sandra
item RUBANO, MELISSA - Consultant
item Soder, Kathy

Submitted to: American Forage and Grassland Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/10/2017
Publication Date: 1/22/2017
Citation: Roca-Fernandez, A., Dillard, S.L., Rubano, M., Soder, K.J. 2017. Effect of feeding legumes containing condensed tannins with orchardgrass on ruminal fermentation and methane production in continuous culture. American Forage and Grassland Conference,January 22-25,2017,Roanoke,Virgina. P.1.

Interpretive Summary: No Interpretive Summary is required. JLB

Technical Abstract: Developing feeding strategies that allow farmers to reduce methane (CH4) emissions from livestock is gaining interest worldwide. Legumes containing condensed tannins (CT) have been shown to decrease enteric CH4 in ruminants; however, research is lacking on how increased CT levels affect ruminal fermentation and CH4 production. A 4-unit continuous culture fermentor system was used to assess nutrient digestibility, volatile fatty acid (VFA) production, bacterial protein synthesis and CH4 production of 4 legumes containing varying levels of CT. The legumes were: alfalfa (ALF) as control, birdsfoot trefoil (BFT) as a low CT legume, crown vetch (CV) as an intermediate CT legume, and sericea lespedeza (SL) as a high CT legume. Treatments consisted of 50% orchardgrass and 50% legume. Each treatment was assigned to 4 fermentors in a randomized block design with 4 replicates. Feeding occurred 4 times daily throughout 4, 10-d periods using 7 d for adaptation and 3 d for collection. Samples for dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) were collected to determine nutrient digestibilities. Samples were also taken for VFA analysis and bacterial protein synthesis. Gas samples for CH4 analysis were recorded by a photoacoustic field gas monitor. All samples were statically analyzed using treatment as fixed effect and fermentor and period as random effects. Apparent and true DM and OM digestibilities were lower (P < 0.01) in SL than ALF and BFT, with CV showing an intermediate level. Apparent NDF and ADF digestibilities were lowest (P < 0.001) in SL, without any differences among the other treatments. Total VFA were lower (P < 0.001) in SL than ALF and BFT, with CV showing an intermediate level. Lower (P <0.001) N intake was found in SL than ALF, with BFT and CV showing intermediate levels. Bacterial N efficiency per kg of truly digested DM and OM was lower (P < 0.05) in SL than BFT, with ALF and CV showing intermediate levels. Total CH4 production was lower (P < 0.001) in SL than in the other treatments. No differences were found between ALF, BFT and CV for CH4 production per g of DM and OM fed or per g of digestible DM and OM fed, with SL showing the lowest CH4 production per unit of digestible nutrients. In summary, introducing high CT legumes in ruminant diets may be an environmental-friendly feeding strategy for grazing dairy and livestock farmers to reduce CH4 emissions, however, tradeoffs in reduced nutrient digestibility, VFA production and bacterial N efficiency must be considered.