Haematology and Serum Biochemical Indices of Lambs Supplemented with Moringa oleifera, Jatropha curcas and Aloe vera Leaf Extract as Anti-Methanogenic Additives

Abstract

Medicinal plants have been found to be effective in a wide range of applications in ruminant animals. However, some plant extracts may be toxic to animals, depending on their seconday metabolite composition and dose, and therefore, animal trials are needed to validate their safety when used as anti-methanogenic additives. This study investigated the effect of three plant extracts used as anti-methanogenic dietary additives, on the haematology and serum biochemical parameters in sheep. Methanolic extracts of Moringa oleifera (MO), Jatropha curcas (JC) and Aloe vera (AV) were orally dosed as experimental treatments for 75 days to sheep, and their effect on the haematology and serum biochemical parameters of SA Mutton Merino (SAMM) lambs were compared with sheep on a control treatment without any additive treatment. Extracts of MO, JC and AV were extracted in 100% methanol, freeze-dried, and reconstituted in distilled water. A total of 40 lambs were ranked according to their body weight into a group of four and one sheep at a time was randomly allocated into four dietary treatments which include a control treatment, and treatment with either MO, JC or AV extract. Lambs were drenched twice daily with doses equivalent to 50 mg/kg dry matter intake (DMI) based on previous week feed consumption. Blood samples were collected via jugular vein puncture and analysed for haematology and serum biochemistry parameters, using standard procedures. The results of the haematological analysis showed that most haematological parameters were not affected by plant extract used as anti-methanogenic additives (p > 0.05), except for higher white blood cell (WBC) and lymphocytes counts recorded in control lambs and lambs in the AV treatment. All serum biochemical properties (except alkaline phosphatase) were not different (p > 0.05) between the control and lambs treated with plant extracts. Alkaline phosphatase was influenced by the plant extract (p < 0.05), with lambs receiving MO, JC and AV having lower alkaline phosphatase concentrations compared to lambs on the control diet without any additive. The result of the study showed that extracts of MO, JC and AV were not toxic to sheep when used as antimethanogenic additives at the recommended dose of 50 mg/kg dry matter feed which had proved previously to be effective in reducing enteric methane emission. Therefore, these plant extracts could be used safely as alternative dietary additives to reduce enteric methane emission and boost the productivity of SA Mutton Merino sheep.

Dietary supplementation of medicinal herbs with total mixed ration to mitigate enteric methane emission in sheep

“…In this experiment, pineapple waste, garlic and moringa leaves supplementation had no effect on plasma glucose concentration, which is consistent with the findings of Redoy et al (2020), Panthee et al (2017) and Akanmu et al, (2020). However, existing research findings has demonstrated that pineapple waste, garlic and moringa have a considerable effect on the plasma lipid profile; however, our trial failed to reflect this (Ososanya et al, 2015;Redoy et al, 2020;Akanmu et al, 2020). a,b,c Means in the same row with no common superscript differ significantly (P < 0.05).…”

“…Herbal supplementation in lamb yielded inconsistent findings in plasma metabolites (Redoy et al, 2020;Reza et al, 2021;Chaves et al, 2008;Shuvo et al, 2017). In this experiment, pineapple waste, garlic and moringa leaves supplementation had no effect on plasma glucose concentration, which is consistent with the findings of Redoy et al (2020), Panthee et al (2017) and Akanmu et al, (2020). However, existing research findings has demonstrated that pineapple waste, garlic and moringa have a considerable effect on the plasma lipid profile; however, our trial failed to reflect this (Ososanya et al, 2015;Redoy et al, 2020;Akanmu et al, 2020).…”

The phytochemical constituents and therapeutic uses of genus Aloe: A review

“…A study with a A. ferox extract on constipated rats led to improved intestinal motility, increased fecal volume and normalized body weight, confirming the empiric use as a laxative in South Africa (Wintola et al, 2010). A similar effect is targeted in sheep diets containing A. vera extract to reduce enteric methane emission and boost productivity (Akanmu et al, 2020). A recent study has confirmed that acemannan has the advantage of inducing intestinal growth in bacteria such as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus (Quezada et al, 2017).…”

Dose-dependent effect of plants of the Lamiaceae family on the concentration of methane, fatty acids and nitrogen in the ecosystem in vitro

“…In our case, the methane concentration for the Oríganum vulgáre sample was lower than for Salviae folia and Scutellaria baicalensis. Studying the phyto-substances according to their ability to form methanogenesis, the authors of [11] found that in different dosages they are able to reduce the amount of methane produced and can be used in feeding. In contrast to our earlier study [12], no decrease in rumen methane production was observed for Oríganum vulgáre.…”