Selection of plant oil as a supplemental energy source by monitoring rumen profiles and its dietary application in Thai crossbred beef cattle

Keiji Matsuba; Apirada Padlom; Anchalee Khongpradit; Phoompong Boonsaen; Prayad Thirawong; Suriya Sawanon; Yutaka Suzuki; Satoshi Koike; Yasuo Kobayashi

doi:10.5713/ajas.18.0946

Selection of plant oil as a supplemental energy source by monitoring rumen profiles and its dietary application in Thai crossbred beef cattle

Asian-Australas J Anim Sci. 2019 Feb 14;32(10):1511-1520. doi: 10.5713/ajas.18.0946. Print 2019 Oct.

Authors

Keiji Matsuba¹, Apirada Padlom², Anchalee Khongpradit², Phoompong Boonsaen², Prayad Thirawong², Suriya Sawanon², Yutaka Suzuki¹, Satoshi Koike¹, Yasuo Kobayashi¹

Affiliations

¹ Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8589, Japan.
² Faculty of Agriculture at Kamphaeng Saen, Kasetsart University, Kamphaeng Saen, Nakhon Pathom, 73140, Thailand.

Abstract

Objective: The present study was conducted to select a plant oil without inhibitory effects on rumen fermentation and microbes, and to determine the optimal supplementation level of the selected oil in a series of in vitro studies for dietary application. Then, the selected oil was evaluated in a feeding study using Thai crossbred beef cattle by monitoring growth, carcass, blood and rumen characteristics.

Methods: Rumen fluid was incubated with substrates containing one of three different types of plant oil (coconut oil, palm oil and soybean oil) widely available in Thailand. The effects of each oil on rumen fermentation and microbes were monitored and the oil without a negative influence on rumen parameters was selected. Then, the dose-response of rumen parameters to various levels of the selected palm oil was monitored to determine a suitable supplementation level. Finally, an 8-month feeding experiment with the diet supplemented with palm oil was carried out using 12 Thai crossbred beef cattle to monitor growth, carcass, rumen and blood profiles.

Results: Batch culture studies revealed that coconut and soybean oils inhibited the most potent rumen cellulolytic bacterium Fibrobacter succinogenes, while palm oil had no such negative effect on this and on rumen fermentation products at 5% or higher supplementation level. Cattle fed the diet supplemented with 2.5% palm oil showed improved feed conversion ratio (FCR) without any adverse effects on rumen fermentation. Palm oil-supplemented diet increased blood cholesterol levels, suggesting a higher energy status of the experimental cattle.

Conclusion: Palm oil had no negative effects on rumen fermentation and microbes when supplemented at levels up to 5% in vitro. Thai crossbred cattle fed the palm oil-supplemented diet showed improved FCR without apparent changes of rumen and carcass characteristics, but with elevated blood cholesterol levels. Therefore, palm oil can be used as a beneficial energy source.

Keywords: Blood Cholesterol; Feed Conversion Ratio; Palm Oil; Rumen Fermentation; Rumen Microbes.