The Effect of Monensin vs. Neem, and Moringa Extracts on Nutrient Digestibility, Growth Performance, Methane, and Blood Profile of Merino Lambs.

Plant secondary compounds are potential rumen modifiers that can improve nutrient utilization in ruminant animals. This study evaluated the effect of Moringa () and Neem () leaf extracts on nutrient digestibility, growth performance, and enteric methane production in South African Mutton Merino lambs. Forty 4-month-old ram lambs with a mean body weight of 35 ± 2.

Datasets of shotgun metagenomics evaluation of rumen microbiota of South African mutton merino sheep.

The rumen microbial consortium plays a crucial role in the production performance and health of the ruminant animal. They are responsible for breaking down complex plant materials such as cellulose and hemicellulose to release usable energy by the host animal. Rumen microbial diversity manipulation through dietary strategies can be used to achieve several goals such as improved feed efficiency, reduced environmental impact or better utilization of low-quality forages.

Haematology and Serum Biochemical Indices of Lambs Supplemented with , and Leaf Extract as Anti-Methanogenic Additives.

Medicinal plants have been found to be effective in a wide range of applications in ruminant animals. However, some plant extracts may be toxic to animals, depending on their seconday metabolite composition and dose, and therefore, animal trials are needed to validate their safety when used as anti-methanogenic additives. This study investigated the effect of three plant extracts used as anti-methanogenic dietary additives, on the haematology and serum biochemical parameters in sheep.

Gas Production, Digestibility and Efficacy of Stored or Fresh Plant Extracts to Reduce Methane Production on Different Substrates.

Natural compounds such as plant secondary metabolites (PSM) can be used to replace antibiotic growth promoters as rumen modifiers. In this study, the effectiveness of stored and freshly extracted (AV), (AZ), (MO), (JA), (TD) and (CP) crude extract and monensin on in vitro gas and methane production, organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) and volatile fatty acids (VFA) were evaluated using a total mixed ration (TMR), lucerne or substrates. Fresh extracts were processed from the same batch of frozen (-20 °C) plant material a few days before the trial while the stored extracts were extracted and stored at 4 °C for 12 months prior to the study.

Effect of Lipid-Encapsulated Acacia Tannin Extract on Feed Intake, Nutrient Digestibility and Methane Emission in Sheep.

Tannins have become important phytochemicals in ruminant production, due to their wide range of biological activities. The use of a crude extract often comes with limitations, such as reduced feed intake and fibre digestibility, which could be overcome by the use of encapsulated tannin extract. In this study, four rumen-cannulated Merino wethers were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square design to determine the effect of encapsulating tannin extract on intake, nutrient digestibility, and methane emission.