Inclusion of a blend of copaiba, cashew nut shell and castor oil in the protein-energy supplement for grazing beef cattle improves rumen fermentation, nutrient intake and fibre digestibility

Abstract

Context Essential oils are secondary plant compounds extracted from plants, with potential for the modulation of rumen fermentation. Aims Two experiments, namely one in vivo and another in vitro, were conducted to analyse the effects of a commercial blend of essential oils (EO; copaiba (Copaifera langsdorffii), cashew nut shell (Anacardium occidentale) and castor oil (Ricinus communis) and monensin as dietary feed additives in protein–energy supplements (PES) provided to grazing beef cattle, on ruminal fermentation, intake, total nutrient digestibility and protein dietary efficiency. Methods In the in vivo experiment, four entire Nellore bulls cannulated in the rumen (374 ± 15.66 kg; mean ± s.d.) were used in a 4 × 4 Latin-square design to evaluate the effects of EO concentration and monensin on voluntary intake, digestibility, and rumen and metabolic characteristics of grazing beef cattle provided with supplementation during the rainy season. Treatments were as follows: control (CON; PES without additives); monensin (MON; PES with inclusion of monensin at 20 mg/kg DM consumed); EO150 (PES with inclusion of EO at 150 mg/kg DM consumed); EO300 (PES with inclusion of EO at 300 mg/kg DM consumed). In the in vitro experiment, the effects EO150, EO300 and EO450, MON and CON on DM and neutral detergent-fibre (NDF) digestibility, and total gas production, were evaluated in four consecutive runs using a gas-production (GP) system. Key results In the in vivo experiment, DM intake, forage DM intake, crude protein intake and NDF intake were similar (P > 0.05) between EO150 and MON, but both were greater than those in EO300 and CON (P < 0.05). A lower EO concentration (EO150) increased (P < 0.05) NDF digestibility and improved nitrogen utilisation efficiency. In the in vitro experiment, the addition of MON and EO150 did not modify (P > 0.05) GP, DM and NDF digestibility compared with the control, but EO300 and EO450 decreased GP at 12 and 24 h and decreased DM and NDF digestibility at 48 h compared with the control, MON and EO150. Conclusions In vivo and in vitro results suggested that EO (copaiba oil, cashew nut shell and castor) at low doses (150 mg/kg DM) has the potential to improve ruminal fermentation in grazing beef cattle receiving supplements, but medium and high doses of EO can have adverse effects. Implications EO blends could be an alternative to MON for grazing beef cattle with access to supplements.

Response of Phytogenic Additives on Enteric Methane Emissions and Animal Performance of Nellore Bulls Raised in Grassland

“…The positive association between additive-free energy supplementation and ruminal abundance of Archaea from the phylum Euryarchaeota and the genus Methanobrevibacter spp. was verified in a previous study using the same supplement [45]. This association may be related to the effect of organic matter degradation [16].…”

“…High doses of essential oils can negatively affect nutrient intake and digestibility, and low doses can stimulate these variables. Consequently, the animal performance can be improved [45,56].…”

Influence of beef genotypes on animal performance, carcass traits, meat quality, and sensory characteristics in grazing or feedlot-finished steers

“…Although the crude protein of the diet was greater in GRASS, forages usually present an unbalanced protein: energy ratio. This is mainly because the energy content is low in forages (approximately 61% compared to 79% in TMR), which is the main limitation to achieving optimal animal performance in grazing diets ( Orjales et al, 2019 ; Teobaldo et al, 2020 ). The efficiency of energy utilization decreases with high CP due to the energy cost of urea synthesis from excessive ammonia in the liver ( NRC, 2016 ).…”

Use of cashew and castor essential oils to improve fibre digestibility in high forage diets: digestibility, ruminal fermentation and microbial protein synthesis

“…Similarly to Michailoff et al (2020) in sheep with rumen cannulation in a 4 × 4 Latin square, using 2, 4, and 6 EO g day -1 of Cashew and castor oil, found that intake of digestible organic matter decreased linearly with the inclusion of EO, and at 2 and 4 EO g day -1 , the treatments did not affect nutrient digestibility. Teobaldo et al (2020), also found in grazing beef cattle cannulated in a 4 × 4 Latin-square, using a blend of cashew, castor, and copaiba EOs, at 150, 300 and 450 mg kg -1 of DM in comparison with 150 mg kg -1 DM of monensin, that in the lower concentration (EO 150) increased NDF digestibility and improved nitrogen utilisation efficiency.…”

“…Most of the EO compounds at high doses have demonstrated their antimicrobial activity by decreasing total VFA concentration (Kahvand & Malecky, 2018). Teobaldo et al (2020), in in vitro experiment using a gas-production (GP) system, with inclusions of a blend of EOs (copaiba, cashew and castor oils), found at low doses (150 mg kg -1 DM) an improvement in ruminal fermentation, but the medium (300 mg kg -1 DM) and high (450 mg kg -1 DM) doses of EOs decreased gas production at 12 and 24 h and decreased DM and NDF digestibility at 48 h compared with the control, Monensina (150 mg kg -1 DM) and 150 mg kg -1 EO DM Nevertheless, Tomkins et al (2015), in beef cattle fed medium-to low-quality Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana) hay using a specific blend of essential oils (CRINA ® Ruminants at 1 g per day) in a 5 × 5 Latin square, found that EOs significantly increased butyrate and iso-valerate concentrations compared with the control. This suggests that at low levels of EO could improve the VFA concentration.…”