Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 . M.SC Graduated, Animal Science Department, Faculty of Science and Agricultural Engineering, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran

2 Assistant Professor, Animal Science Department, Faculty of Science and Agricultural Engineering, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran

3 Associated Professor, Animal Science Department, Faculty of Science and Agricultural Engineering, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran

10.22059/jap.2023.351466.623716

Abstract

In order to investigate the effect of licorice extract (LE) on growth performance, fermentation parameters, and rumen protozoan population in fattening lambs, 28 male lambs weighing 36.45 ± 1.75 kg in a completely randomized design with four treatments and seven replicates were used. Experimental treatmeشnts included: control, basic diet without licorice extract, and treatments one to three included basic diet plus five, 10 and 25 mg of LE per kilogram of DM. The ratio of forage to concentrate was 30:70, which was given to the animals as per their appetite. Adding 25 mg of the extract to the diet increased the daily gain and improved the feed conversion ratio (P<0.05). The pH of rumen fluid and gas production increased at the level of 25 mg of extract (P<0.05). Methane production was not affected by adding LE to the diet. The changes in metabolizable energy, degraded organic matter and concentration of volatile fatty acids in diets containing 5 and 25 mg of LE were more than other groups (P<0.05). The total population of protozoa as well as the number of Entodinia decreased by feeding diets containing LE (P<0.05) but the number of Isotrichida increased, significantly. Based on the results of this research, adding 25 mg/kg of licorice extract to the diet improves the rumen metabolism and the performance of fattening lambs, but it had no effect on the amount of energy loss in the form of methane.

Keywords

  1. AOAC (1995) Official Methos of Analysis. 15th ed. Association of Official Analytical Chemists, Washington, DC.
  2. Barnett A and Reid R (1957) Studies on the production of volatile fatty acids from grass by rumen liquor in an artificial rumen. 1. The volatile acid production from fresh grass. Journal of Agricultural Science, 48: 315-321.
  3. Benchaar C, McAllister TA and Chouinard PY (2008) Digestion, ruminal fermentation, ciliate protozoal populations, and milk production from dairy cows fed cinnamaldehyde, quebracho condensed tannin, or Yucca schidigera saponin extracts. Journal of Dairy Science, 91: 4765-4777.
  4. Broderick G and Kang J (1980) Automated simultaneous determination of ammonia and total amino acids in ruminal fluid and in vitro Journal of Dairy Science, 63: 64-75.
  5. Das Das TK, Banerjee D, Chakraborty D, Pakhira MC, Shrivastava B and Kuhad RC (2012) Saponin: Role in animal Veterinarian World, 5(4): 248-254.
  6. Ellis J, Kebreab E, Odongo N, McBride B, Okine E and France J (2007) Prediction of methane production from dairy and beef cattle. Journal of Dairy Science, 90: 3456-3466.
  7. Guo X, Liu J,  Sun L,  Gao J and  Zahng S (2012) Effects of licorice extracts on rumen fermentation and methane yield of sheep in vitroChinese Journal of Animal Nutrition, 24 (8): 1548-1556.
  8. Guo X, Cheng L, Liu J, Zhang S, Sun X and Al-Marashdeh O (2019) Effects of licorice extract supplementation on feed intake, digestion, rumen function, blood indices and live weight gain of karakul sheep Animal, 9 (5)
  9. Hu WL, Liu JX, Ye JA, Wu YM and Guo YQ (2005) Effect of tea saponin on rume fermentation in vitro. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 120: 333-339.
  10. Khan Ahmadi M, Naghdi Badi H, Akhondzadeh S, Khalighi Sigaroodi F, Mehrafarin A, Shahriari S and Hajiaghaee R (2013) A review on medicinal plant of Glycyrrhiza glabra Journal of Medicinal Plants, 12(46): 1-12 (In Persian)
  11. Kim DH, Kim KM, Nam IS, Lee SS, Choi CW, Kim WY, Kwon EG, Lee KY, Lee MJ and Oh YK (2013) Effect of indigenous herbs on growth, blood metabolites and carcass characteristics in the late fattening period of Hhanwoo steers. Asian-Australian Journal of Animal Science, 26: 1562-1568.
  12. Leng RA, Bird SH, Klieve A, Choo BS, Ball FM, Asefa G, Brumby P, Mudgal VD, Chaudhry UB, Haryono SU and Hendratno N (1992) The potential for tree forage supplements to manipulate rumen protozoa to enhance protein to energy ratios in ruminants fed on poor quality forages. In: Speedy A and Pugliese PL (Eds.) Legume trees and other fodder trees as protein sources. FAO Animal Production and Health Paper, 102: 177-191.
  13. Lila Z, Mohammed N, Kanda S, Kamada T and Itabashi H (2003) Effect of sarsaponin on ruminal fermentation with particular reference to methane production in vitro. Journal of Dairy Science, 86(10): 3330-3336.
  14. Menke KH and Steingass H (1988) Estimation of the energetic feed value obtained from chemical analysis and in vitro gas production using rumen fluid. Animal Research Development, 28: 7-55.
  15. Menke KH, Raab L, Salewski A, Steingass H, Fritz D and Schneider W (1979) The estiation of the digestibility and metabolisable energy content of ruminant feedstuffs from the gas production when they are incubated with rumen liquor in vitro. Journal Agriculture Science, (Camb.) 92: 217-222.
  16. Nooriyan Soroor ME, Khezrian A and Moeini MM (2016) Effects of ethanol and acetone extracts of Glycyrrhiza glabra root on ruminal fermentation parameters, methane production and goat protozoa population. Iranian Journal of Animal Science, 18 (4): 729-740 (In Persian)
  17. Nooriyan Soroor ME and Roozbehan Y (2012) The influence of Echium amoneum extract on in vitro ruminal fermentation, protozoa population and reduction of methane production. Iranian Journal of Animal Science, 43 (2): 287-296 (In Persian)
  18. NRC (2007) Nutrient Requirements of Small Ruminanants sheep, Goats,Cervids, and new world camelids. National Acadrmy Press,Washington, D.C
  19. Rahchamani R, Faramarzi M, Moslemipor F and Bayat Kohsar J (2019) Effect of supplementing of sheep diet with Glycyrrhiza glabra  and Urtica dioica powder on growth performance, rumen bacterial. Iranian Journal of Applied Animal Science, 9(1): 95-103 (In Persian)

20.   Rahchamani R, Ghanbari F, Mostafalo Y and Ghasemifard M (2017) Effects of Matricaria chamomille and Cichorium intybus powder on performance, rumen microbial population and some blood parameters of Dallagh sheep. Iranian Journal of Veterinary Medicine, 11 (3): 267-277 (In Persian)

  1. Sajjadi R, Solati AA, Khodaei Motlagh M and Kazemi Bonchenari M (2014) Immune responses and some blood metabolite responses of female Holstein calves to dietary supplementation with licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra) Iranian Journal of Applied Animal Science, 4(3): 505-508 (In Persian)
  2. Santoso B, Kilmaskossu A and Sambodo P (2007) Effects of saponin from Biophytum petersianumKlotzsch on ruminal fermentation, microbial protein synthesis and nitrogen utilization in goats. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 137(1-2): 58-68.
  3. Taheri M, Tahmasbi R, Sharifi Hosseini MM and Dayani O (2018) Effects of feeding ensiled Licorice pulp with waste date on digestibility, blood parameters and microbial protein production in Raeini goats. Journal of Animal Production, 20 (1): 15-27 (In Persian)
  4. Van Soest PJ (1994) Nutritional ecology of the ruminant, 2nd edition, Cornell University Press, United States.
  5. Vercoe PE, Makkar HP and Schlink AC (2010) In vitro screening of plant resources for extra-nutritional attributes in ruminants: Nuclear and Related Methodologies. Springer Netherlands.
  6. Williams AG and Coleman GS (1997) The Rumen Protozoa. In: Hobson PN and Stewart CS (Eds.), The Rumen Microbial Ecosystem. 2nd Edition, Springer, Dordrecht. pp.73-139
  7. Wina E, Muetze S and Becker K (2005) The impact of saponins or saponin containing plant materials on ruminant production - A Review. Journal Agriculture Food Chemistry, 53: 8093-8105.
  8. Zebeli Q, Tafaj M, Weber I, Steingass H and Drochner W (2008) Effects of dietary forage particle size and concentrate level on fermentation profile, in vitro degradation characteristics and concentration of liquid- or solid-associated bacterial mass in the rumen of dairy cows. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 140: 307-325.