Supplementation of diets with tannins from Chestnut wood or an extract from Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni and effects on in vitro rumen fermentation, protozoa count and methane production.

The aim of the trial was to evaluate the effect of dietary additions of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni extract (SB) and Chestnut wood tannin (CWT) on the in vitro rumen fermentability, protozoal population and methane yield. Both plant products were tested at 3 different levels of inclusion (0.75, 1.50 and 3.00% of incubated dry matter, DM) in a total mixed ration (TMR) for ruminants by using rumen batch culture systems and a rumen inoculum collected from sheep. Total volatile fatty acid concentration, their proportions and gas production were not modified by the plant extracts inclusion, except a significant linear increment of gas production at 24 hr for SB (p = .049). Ammonia concentration decreased (p < .05) of about 17% when 1.50 or 3.00% of CWT were included into TMR. Rumen protozoa population was depressed by the SB inclusion (p = .002) with a maximum reduction of 40% at the highest SB dosage, whereas CWT negatively affected total protozoa counts (-19%) only at the dose of 3.00%. In vitro DM and NDF degradability were not affected by the supplementation of SB and CWT, as well as the methane yield. Thus, the addition of SB and CWT decreases the in vitro protozoa population of the rumen with different intensity and without effects on fermentation parameters, apart from a reduction of nitrogen degradability caused by CWT. Despite the effect on protozoa, no decreasing effect on methane production was detected.