Fennel seeds dietary inclusion as a sustainable approach to reduce methane production and improve nutrient utilization and ruminal fermentation

Kholif, A. E. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0472-4770, Gouda, G. A., Fahmy, M., Morsy, T. A., Abdelsattar, M. M. and Vargas-Bello-Pérez, E. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7105-5752 (2024) Fennel seeds dietary inclusion as a sustainable approach to reduce methane production and improve nutrient utilization and ruminal fermentation. Animal Science Journal, 95 (1). e13910. ISSN 1740-0929 doi: 10.1111/asj.13910

Abstract/Summary

Ruminants are considered a major producer of methane (CH4). Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the ability of dry fennel seeds to affect in vitro gas production and fermentation. Fennel seeds were included at 0% (Control), 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, and 2% DM of a diet containing per kg DM: 500 g concentrate feed mixture, 400 g berseem hay, and 100 g of rice straw. The incubations lasted 48 h. Fennel seeds increased (P < 0.001) the asymptotic gas production and decreased its rate, while decreasing the production and proportion of CH4 (P < 0.05) and increased its rate. Moreover, fennel seed increased DM and neutral detergent fiber (P < 0.01) degradability, and increased total production of short-chain fatty acids, acetate, and propionate (P < 0.05). Compared to the control, fennel seeds increased (P < 0.01) metabolizable energy, partitioning factor, and microbial crude protein production. Overall, fennel seeds can be included up to 2% DM in ruminant diets as an environmentally friendly product in animal farming due to its ability to improve feed utilization, ruminal fermentation and while reducing CH4 production.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/114912
Identification Number/DOI	10.1111/asj.13910
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Life Sciences > School of Agriculture, Policy and Development > Department of Animal Sciences
Uncontrolled Keywords	Methane - metabolism, Digestion, degradability, Seeds - metabolism, fennel, Foeniculum - metabolism, methane, Animals, Fermentation, Nutrients, Rumen - metabolism, phytogenics, in vitro fermentation, Animal Feed - analysis, Diet - veterinary
Publisher	Wiley
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