Effect of engineered biocarbon on rumen fermentation, microbial protein synthesis, and methane production in an artificial rumen (RUSITEC) fed a high forage diet

J Anim Sci. 2018 Jul 28;96(8):3121-3130. doi: 10.1093/jas/sky204.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of adding engineered biocarbon to a high-forage diet on ruminal fermentation, nutrient digestion, and enteric methane (CH4) production in a semi-continuous culture artificial rumen system (RUSITEC). The experiment was a completely randomized block design with four treatments assigned to sixteen fermentation vessels (four/treatment) in two RUSITEC apparatuses. The basal diet consisted of 60% barley silage, 27% barley grain, 10% canola meal, and 3% supplement (DM basis) with biocarbon added at 0, 0.5, 1, and 2% of substrate DM. The study period was 17 d, with a 10-d adaptation and 7-d sample collection period. Increasing biocarbon linearly increased (P < 0.05) disappearance of DM, OM, CP, ADF and NDF. Compared to control, increasing biocarbon enhanced (P < 0.01) production of total VFA, acetate, propionate, branch-chained VFAs, and tended to increase (P = 0.06) NH3-N. Microbial protein synthesis linearly increased (P = 0.01) with increasing biocarbon. Addition of biocarbon reduced overall CH4 production compared with the control (P ≤ 0.05). There were no differences (P > 0.05) in production of total gas, large or small peptides, or in the number of protozoa as a result of addition of biocarbon to the diet. Addition of biocarbon to a forage diet increased DM digestibility by up to 2%, while lowering enteric CH4 production and enhancing microbial protein synthesis in in vitro semi- continuous culture fermenters.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bacteria / metabolism*
  • Brassica napus
  • Carbon / metabolism*
  • Cattle
  • Charcoal / chemistry*
  • Diet / veterinary
  • Digestion
  • Fatty Acids, Volatile / metabolism
  • Female
  • Fermentation
  • Hordeum
  • Methane / metabolism*
  • Pinus / chemistry*
  • Random Allocation
  • Rumen / metabolism
  • Silage / analysis*

Substances

  • Fatty Acids, Volatile
  • biochar
  • Charcoal
  • Carbon
  • Methane