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This Article Free Via Open Access Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: jas.2008-0885v1 86/12/3497    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Wanapat, M. Articles by Wanapat, S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Wanapat, M. Articles by Wanapat, S.

Manipulation of rumen ecology by dietary lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus Stapf.) powder supplementation¹

M. Wanapat^*,2, A. Cherdthong^*, P. Pakdee^* and S. Wanapat

^* Tropical Feed Resources Research and Development Center (TROFREC), Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand; and Department of Plant Science and Natural Resources, Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand

² Corresponding author: metha{at}kku.ac.th

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of lemongrass [Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf.] powder (LGP) on rumen ecology, rumen microorganisms, and digestibility of nutrients. Four ruminally fistulated crossbred (Brahman native) beef cattle were randomly assigned according to a 4 x 4 Latin square design. The dietary treatments were LGP supplementation at 0, 100, 200, and 300 g/d with urea-treated rice straw (5%) fed to allow ad libitum intake. Digestibilities of DM, ether extract, and NDF were significantly different among treatments and were greatest at 100 g/d of supplementation. However, digestibility of CP was decreased with LGP supplementation (P < 0.05), whereas ruminal NH₃-N and plasma urea N were decreased with incremental additions of LGP (P < 0.05). Ruminal VFA concentrations were similar among supplementation concentrations (P > 0.05). Total viable bacteria, amylolytic bacteria, and cellulolytic bacteria were significantly different among treatments and were greatest at 100 g/d of supplementation (4.7 x 10⁹, 1.7 x 10⁷, and 2.0 x 10⁹ cfu/mL, respectively). Protozoal populations were significantly decreased by LGP supplementation. In addition, efficiency of rumen microbial N synthesis based on OM truly digested in the rumen was enriched by LGP supplementation, especially at 100 g/d (34.2 g of N/kg of OM truly digested in the rumen). Based on this study, it could be concluded that supplementation of LGP at 100 g/d improved digestibilities of nutrients, rumen microbial population, and microbial protein synthesis efficiency, thus improving rumen ecology in beef cattle.

Key Words: lemongrass powder • manipulation • microbial protein synthesis • rumen ecology • rumen fermentation • supplementation