In Vitro Gas Production and Dry Matter Degradability of Diets Consumed by Goats with or Without Copper and Zinc Supplementation

Abstract

An in vitro gas production technique was used to evaluate the effects of copper and zinc supplementation on the amount and rate of gas production, dry matter degradability (IVDMD), utilization of metabolizable energy (ME), and ruminal fermentation patterns using rumen fluid from four Boer male goats as inoculum. The goats were fed twice daily at 07:00 and 19:00 h a total mixed ration containing 10.3 and 22.5 mg/kg DM of Cu and Zn, respectively. This diet was incubated in vitro for 96 h with four treatments being: control, Cu (21.7), Zn (5.6), and Cu-Zn (21.7 and 5.6) which was provided as a mineral premix. Data were analyzed as a completely randomized design. Rates of gas production (RGP) at 4 (RGP(4h)) and 6 h (RGP(6h)) and gas production (GP) at 24 (GP(24h)) and 48 h (GP(48h)) differed (p < 0.01) among treatments. An addition of Cu increased the RGP(4h), RGP(6h), GP(24h), and GP(48h) (p < 0.0001). The Cu treatment had the highest IVDMD and control the lowest (p < 0.05), and the Cu treatment was the highest values of ME and SCFA. The addition of Cu to the in vitro ruminal fermentation increased gas production and efficiency of energy use.

Effect of organic zinc supplementation on growth, nutrient utilization,and plasma zinc status in lambs

“…The increased IVDMD with Zn supplementation in the current study is consistent with the report of VazquezArmijo et al (13), who reported that adding 5.6 mg Zn/kg DM to a basal diet containing 22.5 mg/kg Zn increased IVDMD. In contrast, Arelovich et al (25) observed a negative effect of high levels of Zn supplementation on IVDMD.…”

“…Similarly, Vazquez-Armijo et al (13) observed increased asymptotic gas production by adding 5.6 mg/ kg Zn to a basal diet containing 22.5 mg/kg Zn when compared to the control group (with no addition of Zn supplementation). Sobhanirad et al (24) reported that supplementation of rumen fluid with Zn supplements had no effect on gas production parameters during wheat straw fermentation.…”

“…The rate of gas production (RGP) at 4 and 6 h was calculated from recorded volumes of gas produced before and after these times (13). For example, RGP at 4 h was calculated as:…”

The influence of copper levels on in vitro ruminal fermentation, bacterial growth and methane production

“…8 Also, bacterial growth is greater with a Cu amount below 0.5 mg kg −1 DM in the growth medium; but when the concentration of the mineral exceeds this level, there is bacterial proteolysis. 9 Other studies report Cu requirements for ruminal bacteria in the range of 1-50 mg kg −1 DM. 1 Nevertheless, the Cu requirement to optimize bacterial metabolism and growth and the effect on methanogens in the rumen are not well documented.…”

“…Cu dosages of 10.3 mg kg −1 DM increased gas production. 9 However, extremely high doses of CuSO 4 from 0.2 to 0.4% in a ruminal in vitro culture reduce emissions of CH 4 . 12 This study was conducted www.soci.org D Hernández-Sánchez et al…”