Effect of on ruminal fermentation, feed intake and dry matter digestibility in cows fed forage-based diets.

The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of inclusion on ruminal fermentation, feed intake and dry matter (DM) apparent digestibility in cows fed forage and concentrate. Cows were randomly assigned in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design, into four treatments: control and three doses of culture (1, 2 and 3 g/d). Experimental periods had 21 days, in which 14 days were allowed for treatment adaptation and 7 days for sampling.

Feeding of tropical trees and shrub foliages as a strategy to reduce ruminal methanogenesis: studies conducted in Cuba.

The aim of this paper was to present the main results obtained in Cuba on the effects of feeding tropical trees and shrubs on rumen methanogenesis in animals fed with low quality fibrous diets. More than 20 tree and shrub foliages were screened for phytochemicals and analyzed for chemical constituents. From these samples, seven promising plants (Samanea saman, Albizia lebbeck, Tithonia diversifolia, Leucaena leucocephala, Trichantera gigantea, Sapindus saponaria, and Morus alba) were evaluated for methane reduction using an in vitro rumen fermentation system.