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Research on Yucca schidigera extract feeding on the rumen ecology, protozoal populations and serum chemistries of sheep

  • Research Article
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Frontiers of Agriculture in China

Abstract

In a completely randomized block design experiment, 16 ruminally cannulated male sheep with body weights of (40 ± 2.1) kg were fed twice daily (8:00 and 16:00) with concentrate and forage (50:50 on dry matter (DM) basis). Dietary treatments were supplemented with intraruminal doses of powdered Yucca schidigera extract (YSE) at the levels of 0 (control), 100, 200 and 300 mg · kg−1. On days of 15, 16 and 17 after feeding, ruminal content was sampled at 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 h after dosing (8:00), and blood samples were collected at the end of experiment (the days 18 and 19 after feeding). Results showed that the treatment groups’ acidity was not affected (P = 0.13) by YSE. Comparing to the control, the ruminal propionate concentration was increased by YSE addition in a dose-dependent manner by up to 29.8% (P < 0.05), and the acetic concentration was decreased by up to 17.5% (P < 0.05). The ruminal ammonia concentration 2 hours after feeding was higher (P < 0.05) in sheep fed without YSE (increased by 17.57 mg· 100 mL−1) than those fed with YSE at 200 mg · kg−1 (6.77 mg · 100 mL−1 increase in NH3) and at 300 mg · kg−1 (6.50 mg· 100 mL−1 increase in NH3). Protozoal populations in the rumen were lower (P < 0.05) with the YSE feeding dose at 300 mg · kg−1 than the control. The serum chemistries were not different among treatments (P > 0.05) and were within the normal physiological ranges for sheep 19 days after feeding. The study indicated that 200 mg· kg−1 and 300 mg· kg−1 YSE groups had particular suppressing effects on ruminal ammonia concentration, ammonia-N concentrations and protozoal populations. The effect of YSE on ruminal fermentation could be attributed to the selective inhibitory effect on rumen microbial species. High level (300 mg · kg−1) YSE as feed additives resulted no negative impact on sheep in our tests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Heilongjiang Key Laboratory of Black Soil Ecology, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Harbin, 150081, China

    Chunlong Liu

  2. The Department of Animal Science Research of Heilongjiang Provincial, Agricultural Scientific Academy, Harbin, 150086, China

    Zhongqiu Li & Fugang Peng

  3. Heilongjiang Institute of Veterinary Drug and Feed Supervisal, Harbin, 150009, China

    Yanming Ren

  4. The Station of Animal Quarantine of Mudanjiang City, Mudanjiang, 157009, China

    Zhuolong Wang

  5. Animal Nutrition Institute, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, China

    Chunlong Liu

Authors
  1. Chunlong Liu
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  2. Zhongqiu Li
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  3. Fugang Peng
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  4. Yanming Ren
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  5. Zhuolong Wang
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Correspondence to Zhongqiu Li.

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Liu, C., Li, Z., Peng, F. et al. Research on Yucca schidigera extract feeding on the rumen ecology, protozoal populations and serum chemistries of sheep. Front. Agric. China 3, 89–94 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11703-009-0011-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11703-009-0011-4

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