Methane emission, ruminal fermentation parameters and fatty acid profile of meat in Santa Ines lambs fed the legume macrotiloma

Autor(es)

Tavares Lima, Paulo de Mello ^[1] ; Abdalla Filho, Adibe Luiz ^[1] ; Issakowicz, Juliano ^[1] ; Ieda, Egon Hion ^[1] ; Correa, Patricia Spoto ^[1] ; de Mattos, Waldssimiler Teixeira ^[2] ; Gerdes, Luciana ^[2] ; Mcmanus, Concepta ^[3] ; Abdalla, Adibe Luiz ^[1] ; Louvandini, Helder ^{[4, 1]}

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Ctr Energia Nucl Agr, Av Centenario 303, BR-13416000 Piracicaba, SP - Brazil

^[2] Inst Zootecnia, APTA, SAA SP, Rua Heitor Penteado 56, BR-13460000 Nova Odessa, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Brasilia, Inst Ciencias Biol, Campus Univ Darcy Ribeiro, BR-70910900 Brasilia, DF - Brazil

^[4] Univ Florida, Dept Anim Sci, Gainesville, FL 32611 - USA

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: ANIMAL PRODUCTION SCIENCE; v. 60, n. 5, p. 665-673, 2020.
• Citações Web of Science: 0

Resumo

Context Using legumes in ruminant production system may provide benefits such as improvement in animal performance and decrease in methane (CH4) emissions, mainly based on nutritional characteristics of these plants and the presence of tannins. Macrotiloma (Macrotyloma axillare) is a tropical legume that still lacks studies regarding its effects on animal performance and CH4 emissions. Aims The objective of this experiment was to evaluate productive performance, CH4 emission, ruminal fermentation parameters, carcass characteristics and fatty acid profile of the meat from lambs fed tropical grass hay supplemented with the legume forage macrotiloma. Methods For a 90-day experimental period, 14 Santa Ines male lambs (aging 100 days; 18.06 3.26 kg initial bodyweight) were allocated in individual pens and divided into two treatments: chopped aruana grass (Panicum maximum cv. Aruana) hay (CON); aruana hay supplemented with chopped macrotiloma hay at a ratio of 75:25 grass to legume (MAC). Lambs were weighed fortnightly for calculation of average daily bodyweight gain (ADG) and CH4 emission was measured on three occasions (days 28 to 32; 57 to 61; 85 to 89) using the sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) tracer technique. At the last day of CH4 collection, rumen fluid samples were collected for: determination of ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3-N) and short chain fatty acids (SCFA); ruminal protozoa count; and relative abundance determination of general bacteria (BACT); Ruminococcus flavefaciens (RUMI); Fibrobacter succinogenes (FIBRO); methanogenic archaea (METH) by real-time quantitative PCR (real-time-qPCR) analysis. Subsequently, after 16 h fasting, the animals were slaughtered; carcass characteristics were then evaluated and longissimus thoracis samples were collected for fatty acid profile analysis. Key results No significant difference (P > 0.05) was observed between MAC and CON for productive performance, CH4 emission, SCFA and carcass characteristics. Reduced protozoa count and relative abundance of METH were observed for MAC (P < 0.05). Conclusions Despite the lack of effects on productive performance and CH4 emission, the decreased relative abundance of METH and protozoa count indicated that macrotiloma may possibly present anti-methanogenic activity. Implications The inclusion of this legume in the diet of ruminants may affect rumen microbes and potentially decrease environmental impacts of the production system. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 13/02814-5 - Aspectos produtivos e emissão de metano de ovinos Santa Inês mantidos em pastejo sobre gramínea tropical consorciada com leguminosa
• Beneficiário: Paulo de Mello Tavares Lima
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Doutorado
• Processo FAPESP: 18/06191-6 - Transcriptoma em testículos de cordeiros oriundos de ovelhas alimentadas com caroço de algodão
• Beneficiário: Helder Louvandini
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Exterior - Pesquisa