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Rumen Manipulation for Enhanced Feed Utilization and Improved Productivity Performance of Ruminants: A review
Abstract
Feed resources are inadequate both in quality and quantity in most developing countries, like Ethiopia. Natural pasture, crop residues and agro-industrial by-products constitute the major proportions of feeds available to most ruminants under smallholder production systems. The rumen has been recognized as an essential fermentation ‘Chamber’. Up to 12% of gross energy, however, is lost in the form of methane from ruminants. Methane is also one of the major green house gasses. Methane is produced by bacteria species, collectively called methanogens. Reduction in methane production increases the efficiency of feed utilization in ruminant animals. Manipulation of ruminal fermentation processes for reducing methane production by ruminants to improve the production performance of ruminants is the current major target of many animal nutritionists. The methods to effectively reduce methane production in the reticulo-rumen include processing of feeds, altering the ration, supplementation of unsaturated fatty acids, defaunation, supplementation of organic acids, halogenated compounds, ionophores, microbial feed additives (probiotics), plant extracts and their secondary metabolites. All these have to be validated in vivo studies in specific dose(s) to make it economically viable.
Keywords: Rumen, Fermentation, Methane, Plant Extracts, Ethiopia.
