Effects of types and doses of yeast on gas production and in vitro digestibility of diets containing maize (Zea mays) and lucerne (Medicago sativa) or oat hay

Abstract

Two yeast products formulated with Saccharomyces cerevisiae were evaluated at the same colony-forming units (CFUs) per gram of substrate. Samples of maize, lucerne and oat hays were mixed (0.5 kg) to a proportion of 80% forage (lucerne or oat) with 20% maize (DM basis) and combined with each yeast to obtain 1.5 x 10⁷ or 3.0 x 10⁷ CFU/g DM. There was also a control without yeast. In vitro gas production was measured at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 14, 18, 24, 30, 36, 42, 48, 60, and 72 h incubation. There was no forage/yeast interaction. Both yeast products tended to reduce the maximum volume produced quadratically and lag time linearly, while in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) increased linearly. Ruminal ammonia N and lactic acid were not affected, whereas methane and carbon dioxide tended to be reduced with the intermediate dose of yeast. When the mixture included oat hay, the total volume of gas increased, the lag time decreased, and there was higher IVDMD than in the lucerne-based mixtures, which were associated with lower methane production. Ammonia and lactic acid remained unchanged. The two yeast products showed the same effects on the dynamics of gas production and in vitro digestibility when dosed at the same number of viable cells or CFUs, and there was no interaction with forage quality.

Keywords: forages, ruminal fermentation in vitro, Saccharomyces cerevisiae