RESUMO
This study aimed to investigate the effects of chitosan and whole raw soybean on nutrient intake, apparent digestibility, nitrogen utilization, microbial protein synthesis, blood metabolites, feeding behavior, ruminal fermentation, digesta kinetics, and reticular flow of nutrients of buffaloes. Four ruminally-cannulated Murrah buffaloes (351 ± 15 kg of initial BW) were randomly assigned according to a 4 × 4 Latin square design. Treatments were arranged as 2 × 2 factorial arrangement: the first factor was whole raw soybean (WRS), and the second factor was chitosan (CHI) with or without their inclusion in diets. Intake and apparent digestibility of ether extract (p < .01; p = .04, respectively), non-fiber carbohydrates intake (p = .03) and apparent ruminal digestibility of dry matter (p = .01) were affected by diets. An interaction effect or tendency was observed for microbial nitrogen (p = .09), concentrations, ruminal ammonia nitrogen (p = .05), total volatile fatty acid (p = .03). Association of chitosan with whole raw soybean has potential effects as a modulator of rumen fermentation; therefore, chitosan can be applied as an alternative non-ionophore for Murrah buffaloes.
Assuntos
Búfalos/fisiologia , Quitosana/administração & dosagem , Dieta/veterinária , Digestão , Fermentação , Glycine max , Nutrientes/metabolismo , Rúmen/metabolismo , Ração Animal , Fenômenos Fisiológicos da Nutrição Animal , Animais , Ingestão de Alimentos , Masculino , Nitrogênio/metabolismo , Biossíntese de ProteínasRESUMO
The purpose of this study was to assess the in vitro antimicrobial activity of alkaloid-enriched extracts from Prosopis juliflora (Fabaceae) pods in order to evaluate them as feed additives for ruminants. As only the basic chloroformic extract (BCE), whose main constituents were juliprosopine (juliflorine), prosoflorine and juliprosine, showed Gram-positive antibacterial activity against Micrococcus luteus (MIC = 25 µg/mL), Staphylococcus aureus (MIC = 50 µg/mL) and Streptococcus mutans (MIC = 50 µg/mL), its influence on ruminal digestion was evaluated using a semi-automated in vitro gas production technique, with monensin as the positive control. Results showed that BCE has decreased gas production as efficiently as monensin after 36 h of fermentation, revealing its positive influence on gas production during ruminal digestion. Since P. juliflora is a very affordable plant, this study points out this alkaloid enriched extract from the pods of Prosopis juliflora as a potential feed additive to decrease gas production during ruminal digestion.