Supplementation of Acacia mearnsii tannins decreases methanogenesis and urinary nitrogen in forage-fed sheep
J. E. Carulla A , M. Kreuzer B , A. Machmüller B and H. D. Hess B CA Department of Animal Production, National University of Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia.
B Institute of Animal Science, Animal Nutrition, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), ETH Center/LFW, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
C Corresponding author. Email: dieter.hess@alp.admin.ch
Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 56(9) 961-970 https://doi.org/10.1071/AR05022
Submitted: 24 January 2005 Accepted: 4 July 2005 Published: 28 September 2005
Abstract
The objective of this experiment was to assess the effects of a partial replacement of ryegrass (Lolium perenne) by red clover (Trifolium pratense) or alfalfa (Medicago sativa) supplemented with 0 or 41 g Acacia mearnsii extract (containing 0.615 g/g condensed tannins)/kg dietary dry matter on nitrogen turnover and methane release by sheep, using the respiration chamber technique. Across all variables, there was no significant interaction between basal diet and tannin supplementation. The partial replacement of the grass by the legumes remained without effect on the amounts of nitrogen excreted through faeces or urine. Nitrogen and energy utilisation was lower (P < 0.05) with ryegrass–alfalfa than with ryegrass alone, and methane release (kJ/MJ gross energy intake) was higher (P < 0.05) with ryegrass–red clover than with ryegrass alone. Tannin supplementation decreased (P < 0.05) ruminal ammonia concentration and urinary nitrogen excretion without affecting body nitrogen and energy retention, and reduced (P < 0.001) methane release by 13% on average. The results suggest that supplemented Acacia mearnsii tannins can be useful in mitigating methane and potential gaseous nitrogen emissions, whereas a replacement of grass by legumes obviously shows no advantage in this respect.
Additional keywords: energy expenditure, feed additives, grass–legume associations, lucerne, ruminant.
Acknowledgments
This study was supported by the State Secretariat for Education and Research (SER) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The authors are grateful to H. Leuenberger, A. Moses, and B. Schneider for their assistance in this study.
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