Abstract:
The ef
fect of eucalyptus (
Eucalyptus Globulus
Labill
;
EGEO) and
Angelica
(
Heracleum
Persicum
Desf.
e
x
Fischer
; HPEO) Essential Oils was assessed at the levels of 0, 3, 30, 300 or
3000 (μl 30 ml
-
1
) on
in vitro
fermentation of buffered rumen fluid from
3 castrated male sheep.
The fermentat
ion kinetics were estimated after 54 hours incubation. The fermentation kinetic
values,
In Vitro
Gas Production (IVGP), Methane Production (MP), ammonia
-
N (NH
3
-
N)
concentration, Organic Matter Degradability (IVOMDe), Partitioning Factor (PF), Microbial
Mas
s (MM), Volatile Fatty Acids (VFA) concentrations and protozoa population were
evaluated. The results showed that EGEO supplementation at 300μl increased the insoluble
fraction (b) (P= 0.027). Cumulative IVGP at 54 hours was the lowest for EGEO (P= 0.014)
and
HPEO (P= 0.001) at 3,000 μl. The HPEO supplementation at 30 and 3,000 μl decreased (P=
0.036) the constant rate (c) of gas production during incubation 54 hours. The EGEO inclusion
improved GP in 24 hours at 3 μl, but inhibited fermentation at 3,000 μl
(P = 0.004), whereas
addition of HPEO inhibited fermentation at 3,000 μl (P= 0.000) only. The addition of EGEO
and HPEO (P= 000) inhibited MP at all levels. HPEO treatments reduced (P= 0.005) the NH
3
-
N concentration at 3 and 3,000 μl levels. The IVOMDe wa
s increased at dose rates of 3, 30 or
300 μl EGEO, but decreased at 3000 μl of HPEO. At the inclusion of 3,000 μl of EGEO and
HPEO, PF, MM and Efficiency of Microbial Mass (EMM) were enhanced (P= 0.001). Apart
from the inclusion level of 300 μl, total VFA
concentrations were decreased by EGEO (P=
0.002) and HPEO (P= 0.001). The EGEO
and HPEO treatments showed antiprotozoal activity.
It is suggested that EGEO and HPEO could be added at the level of 300 μl 30 ml
-
1
to improve
ruminal fermentation (
i.e.
increas
ing EMM and decreasing MP and protozoa population),
which may lead to better nutrient utilization and animal growth.
Keywords
:
Eucalyptus globulus,
Essential oils,
Heracleum persicum,
Methane, Protozoa,
R
umen fermentation.
