Effects of a specific blend of essential oils on apparent nutrient digestion, rumen fermentation and rumen microbial populations in sheep fed a 50:50 alfalfa hay:concentrate diet

Abstract

ObjectiveAn experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of a specific mixture of essential oils (MEO), containing thyme, clove and cinnamon EO, on rumen microbial fermentation, nutrient apparent digestibility and blood metabolites in fistulated sheep.MethodsSix sheep fitted with ruminal fistulas were used in a repeated measurement design with two 24-d periods to investigate the effect of adding MEO at 0 (control), 0.8, and 1.6 mL/d on apparent nutrient digestibility, rumen fermentation characteristics, rumen microbial population and blood chemical metabolites. Animals were fed with a 50:50 alfalfa hay:concentrate diet.ResultsRuminal pH, total volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentration, molar proportion of individual VFA, acetate: propionate ratio and methane production were not affected with MEO. Relative to the control, Small peptides plus amino acid nitrogen and large peptides nitrogen concentration in rumen fluid were not affected with MEO supplementation; while, rumen fluid ammonia nitrogen concentration at 0 and 6 h after morning feeding in sheep fed with 1.6 mL/d of MEO was lower (p<0.05) compared to the control and 0.8 mL/d of MEO. At 0 h after morning feeding, ammonia nitrogen concentration was higher (p<0.05) in sheep fed 0.8 mL/d of MEO relative to 1.6 mL/d and control diet. Ruminal protozoa and hyper ammonia producing (HAP) bacteria counts were not affected by addition of MEO in the diet. Relative to the control, no changes were observed in the red and white blood cells, hemoglobin, hematocrit, glucose, beta-hydroxybutyric acid, cholesterol, total protein, albumin, blood urea nitrogen and aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase concentration. Apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter, crude proten, organic matter, and neutral detergent fiber were not influenced by MEO supplementation.ConclusionThe results of the present study suggested that supplementation of MEO may have limited effects on apparent nutrient digestibility, ruminal fermentation and protozoa and HAP bacteria count, blood cells and metabolites.

Effect of Addition of Anise, Clove and Thyme Essential Oils on Barki Lambs Performance, Digestibility, Rumen Fermentation, Carcass Characteristics and Intramuscular Fatty Acids

“…However, plasma levels of total protein (TP), albumin, globulin, urea, triglycerides (TG), high density lipoprotein (HDL), total antioxidant capacity, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were not influenced by addition of EO. The lack of influence of EO on some blood parameters consistent with Vakili et al (2013) who used thyme oil in diets of feedlot calves, Unal and Kocabagli (2014) with thyme in lamb ration and they found no effect on TC, TG, HDL and LDL and in another study, Khateri et. al.…”

“…The evaluation of EO for antimicrobial, antifungal and antioxidant properties has been conducted by humans in traditional medicine and there were much research on the use of plant extracts and EO in animal production all over the world (Khateri et. al., 2017).…”

Impact of Anise, Clove, and Thyme essential oils as feed supplements on the productive performance and digestion of Barki ewes

“…Although DCP% and nitrogen retention was improved with EO supply (table 4 and 5) that resulted in increased milk's protein with these EO (table 9). However, Khateri et al (2017) recorded that total protein and albumin were not influenced by the added mixture of EO. Serum urea and creatinine were unaffected by any of EO.…”

<i>In vitro</i> ruminal dry matter and neutral detergent fibre digestibility of common feedstuffs as affected by the addition of essential oils and their active compounds

“…It should be noted that in the present study the effective concentration of EO was calculated based on their principal compound; for example, THY and THY-C have the same concentration of THY-C. Despite some blends of EO (Khateri et al, 2017) and EOC (Newbold et al, 2004) have been tested in vivo and in vitro (Castillejos et al, 2005) with generally depressing or no effect on fermentations, we are not aware of any study examining the interactions between compounds; however our results suggest that interactions of compounds of EO may occur indicating or not an additive effect. In this direction are the results of Rofiq and Gorgulu (2014), who found an antagonistic effects between CLO and orange peel oil at 300 ppm when they were used together in combination treatment for in vitro digestion of dairy TMR.…”

“…This result was not supported by our data showing a reducing effect of CIN-C on TMR NDFD24 and a lack of effect of CIN, CLO and EUG. A lack of effects was found by Khateri et al (2017), that demonstrated no effect of a blend including CLO and CIN (together with THY) on in vivo sheeps (fed a 50:50 forage to concentrate ratio diet) apparent total tract digestibility of DM, CP, organic matter, and NDF. Moreover, CLO appeared to reduce NDFD24 of soyabean meal and maize grain, while EUG decreased only the NDFD4 of soyabean meal.…”