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

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^-1increase 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.

Keywords

Yucca schidigera extract / rumen ecology / protozoal populations / serum chemistries / sheep

References

[1] Al-Bar A, A Ismail P R, Cheke, Nakaue H S (1993). Effects of dietary Yucca schidigera extract on environmental ammonia and growth performance of chickens and rabbits. Proc Western Section, Am Soc Anim Sci, 44: 106-108

[2] AOAC (1990). Official Methods of Analysis of the Association of Analytical Chemist. 16th ed. Arlington, VA, USA: Association of Official Analytical Chemist

[3] Aregheore E M (2005). Effect of Yucca schidigera saponin on the nutritive value of urea-ammoniated maize stover and its feeding value when supplemented with forage legume (Calliandra calothyrsus) for goats. Small Ruminant Research, 56: 95-102

[4] Ayasan T, Yurtseven S, Baylan M, Canogullari S (2005). The effects of dietary Yucca Schidigera on egg yield parameters and egg shell quality of laying Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica). Int J Poult Sci, 4(3): 159-162

[5] Giffard C J, Collins S B, Stoodley N C, Butterwick R F, Batt R M (2001). Administration of charcoal, Yucca schidigera, and zinc acetate to reduce malodorous flatulence in dogs. J Ame Vet Med Asso, 218(6): 892-896

[7] Hristov A N, McAllister T A, van Herk F H, Cheng K J, Newbold C J, Cheeke P R (1999). Effect of Yucca schidigera on ruminal fermentation and nutrient digestion in heifers. J Anim Sci, 77(9): 2554-2563

[8] Kaya S, Erdogan Z, Erdogan S (2003). Effect of different dietary levels of Yucca schidigera powder on the performance, blood parameters and egg yolk cholesterol of laying quails. J Vet Med A, 50(1): 14-17

[9] Kaya S, Keskin M, Gül S (2006). Effects of Yucca schidigera extract (Dk 35 Powder) on Awassi lambs performance. J Anim Vet Adv, 5(1): 57-59

[10] Killeen G F, Connolly C R, Walsh G A, Duffy C F, Headon D R, Power R F (1998). The effects of dietary supplementation with Yucca schidigera extract or fractions thereof on nitrogen metabolism and gastrointestinal fermentation processes in the rat. J Sci Food Agric, 76(1): 91-99

[11] Killeen G F, Madigan C A, Connolly C R, Walsh G A, Clark C, Hynes M J, Timmins B F, James P, Headon D R, Power R F (1998). Antimicrobial saponins of Yucca schidigera and the implications of their in vitro properties for their in vivo impact. J Agric Food Chem, 46: 3178-3186

[12] Licitra G, Hernandez T M, van Soest P J (1996). Standardization of procedures for nitrogen fractionation of ruminant feeds. Anim Feed Sci Technol, 57: 347–358

[13] Lila Z A, Mohammed N, Kanda S, Kamada T, Itabashi H (2003). Effect of sarsaponin on ruminal fermentation with particular reference to methane production in vitro. J Dairy Sci, 86(10): 3330-3336

[14] Liu C L, Li Z Q, Li J (2005). Study on effects of Sarsa-saponine on rumen total dehydrogenase and cellulase activity, the number of protozoa in sheep. China Biotechnology, 25: 334 (in Chinese)

[15] Lovett D K, Stack L, Lovell S, Callan J, Flynn B, Hawkins M, O'Mara F P (2006). Effect of feeding Yucca schidigera extract on performance of lactating dairy cows and ruminal fermentation parameters in steers. Livestock Science, 102: 23-32

[16] Muhammad S N, Talat N P, Shahid A, Zulfiqar A (2002). Effect of Yucca saponin on urease activity and development of ascites in broiler chickens. International J Poul Sci, 1(6): 174-178

[17] Pen B, Sar C, Mwenya B, Kuwaki K, Morikawa R, Takahashi J (2006). Effects of Yucca schidigera and Quillaja saponaria extracts on in vitro ruminal fermentation and methane emission. Anim Feed Sci Technol, 129: 175-186

[18] Pen B, Takaura K, Yamaguchi S, Asa R, Takahashi J (2007). Effects of Yucca schidigera and Quillaja saponaria with or without β 1–4 galacto-oligosaccharides on ruminal fermentation, methane production and nitrogen utilization in sheep. Anim Feed Sci Technol, 138(1): 75-88

[19] Santoso B, Mweny B, Sar C, Takahashi J (2006). Ruminal fermentation and nitrogen metabolism in sheep fed a silage-based diet supplemented with Yucca schidigera or Y. schidigera and nisin. Anim Feed Sci, 129: 187-195

[20] Santoso B, Mwenya B, Sar C, Gamo Y, Kobayashi T, Morikawa R, Kimura K, Mizukoshi H, Takahashi J (2004). Effects of supplementing galacto-oligosaccharides, Yucca schidigera and nisin on rumen methanogenesis, nitrogen and energy metabolism in sheep. Livest Prod Sci, 91: 209-217

[21] SAS. Release 6.12 (1996). Cary (NC): SAS Institute

[22] Singer M, Robinson P, Salem A, DePeters E (2008). Impacts of rumen fluid modified by feeding Yucca schidigera to lactating dairy cows on in vitro gas production of 11 common dairy feedstuffs, as well as animal performance. Anim Feed Sci Technol, 146: 242-258

[23] van Soest P J (1994). Nutritional Ecology of the Ruminant. 2nd ed. New York: Cornell University Press, 476

[24] van Soest P J, Robertson J B, Lewis B A (1991). Methods for dietary fiber, neutral detergent fiber, and nonstarch polysaccharides in relation to animal nutrition. J Dairy Sci, 74: 3583-3597

[25] Wang Y, Mcallister T A, Newbold C J, Rode L M, Cheeke P R, Cheng K J (1998). Effects of Yucca schidigera extract on fermentation and degradation of steroidal saponins in the rumen simulation technique (RUSITEC). Anim Feed Sci Technol, 74(2): 143-153

[26] Zhang J Y (2003). The New Clinic Veterinary Handbook. Beijing: China Forestry Publishing House; China Agricultural Publishing House, 403-404 (in Chinese)

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2014 Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg