Masihollah FOROUZMAND, Mokhtar KHAJAVI, Reza NAGHIHA, Mohammad Hossein ZANGNE, Shima HOSSEINIFAR

Evaluation of various barley processing methods on rumen microbial population, histomorphometry, and fermentation characteristics in fattening lambs

Barley deserves a top place in the farm for feeding livestock. It is irreplaceable by any other grain in sheep diets for producing capacious rumen microbial yields. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of different methods of barley processing on a number of microbes, fermentation parameters, and the rumen tissue characteristics of fattening lambs. For this purpose, 20 fattening male lambs with a mean weight of 25 ± 1.1 kg were tested for 80 days based on a completely randomized design with four treatments (GRB: ground barley, SRB: steam-rolled barley, GEB: germinated barley, SOB: soaked barley) and five replicates. Three lambs from each treatment were slaughtered and sampling was done on the rumen liquid and tissue to determine their pH and volatile fatty acid (VFA), amylolytic bacteria, proteolytic, cellulolytic, heterophilic, and protozoa contents. The findings showed that the number of cellulolytic bacteria in ground barley treatment was lower than that of soaked barley treatment. In addition, there existed fewer heterophilic bacteria in germinated barley groups compared with other treatments. The lactic acid level in the GRB was increased compared to that in SRB and GEB treatments (P < 0.05). The GRB further reduced the thickness of the rumen wall in comparison with SRB. In general, replacing GRB with SOB improved certain thickness of the epithelial tissue and cellulolytic bacteria of the rumen.

PDF

___

1. Ashenbach JR, Borau T, Gabel G. Glucose uptake via SGLT - 1 is stimulated by B2 adrenoceptors in the ruminal epithelium of sheep. The Journal of Nutrition 2002; 132: 1254-1257.
2. Krause KM, Oetzel GR. Understanding and preventing subacute ruminal acidosis in dairy herds: a review. Journal Animal Feed Sciences Technology 2006; 126: 215-236.
3. Zitnan R, Kuhla S, Nurnberg K, Schonhusen U, Ceresnakova Z et al. Influence of the diet on morphology of ruminal and intestinal mucosa and on intestinal carbohydrate levels in cattle. Veternnary Medicina - Czech 2003; 48: 177-182.
4. Lesmeister KE, Heinrichs AJ. Effects of corn processing on growth characteristics, rumen development and rumen parameters in neonatal dairy calves. Journal of Dairy Science 2004; 87: 3439-3450.
5. Dehghan - Banadaky MR, Corbett R, Oba B. Effects of barley grain processing on productivity of cattle. Journal of Animal Feed Science 2007; 137: 1-24.
6. Lykos T, Varga GA. Effects of processing method on degradation characteristics of protein and carbohydrate sources in situ. Journal of Dairy Science 1995; 78: 1789-1801.
7. Blanch M, Calsamiglia S, Dilorenzo N, Dicostanzo A, Muetzel S et al. Physiological changes in rumen fermentation during acidosis induction and its control. Journal of Animal Science 2009; 87: 1722-1730.
8. Heinrichs J. Rumen Development in the Dairy Calf. Journal of Animal Science 2005; 17: 179-186.
9. Baldwin RL, McLeod VI. Effects of diet forage: concentrate ratio and metabolizable energy intake on isolated rumen epithelial cell metabolism in vitro. Journal of Animal Science 2000; 78: 771-783.
10. Knowlton KF, Glenn BP, Eroman RA. Performance, ruminal fermentation and site of starch digestion in early lactation cows fed corn grain harvested and processed differently. Journal of Dairy Science 1998; 81: 1972-1984.
11. Ivan M, Rode LM, McAllister. Fermentation characteristics and ruminal ciliate protozoal populations in cattle fed medium-or high-concentrate barley-based diets. Journal of Animal Science 2001; 79(2): 515-524.
12. Forouzmand M. Influence of hybrid and maturity in nutritional value of corn silage for lactating dairy cows 1: intake, milk production and component yield. Pakistan journal of nutrition 2005; 4: 435-441.
13. Franzolin R, Dihority BA. Effect of prolonged high-concentrate feeding on ruminal protozoa concentrations. Journal of Animal Science 1996; 74: 2803-2809.
14. Álvarez-Rodríguez J, Monleón E, Sanz A, Badiola JJ, Joy M. Rumen fermentation and histology in light lambs as affected by forage supply and lactation length. Reserch veterinary science; 92(2): 247-253.
15. Lechartier C, Peyraud JL. The effects of starch and rapidly degradable dry matter from concentrate on ruminal digestion in dairy cows fed corn silage-based diets with fixed forage proportion. Journal of Dairy Science 2011; 94: 2440-2454.
16. Saro C, Ranilla MJ, Carro MD. Influence of forage type in the diet of sheep on rumen microbiota and fermentation characteristics. Livestock Science 2014; 160: 52-59.
17. Ying Y, Allen MS. Effects of fineness of grinding and conservation method of corn grain on ruminal starch digestion kinetics in Holstein heifers before and after calving. Journal of Dairy Science 1998; 81: 318-327.
18. Murphy TA, Fluharty FL, Loerch SC. The influence of intake level and corn processing on digestibility and ruminal metabolism in steers fed all-concentrate diets. Journal of Animal Science 1994; 72: 1608-1615.
19. Nagaraja TG, Titgemeyer EC. Ruminal acidosis in beef cattle: the current microbiological and nutritional outlook. Journal of Dairy Science 2007; 78: 17-38.
20. Schlau N, Mcallister TA, Duineveld LW, Yang Oba M. Precision processing barley grain did not affect productivity of lactating dairy cows. Journal of Animal Science 2013; 93: 261-268.
21. Crocker LM, DePeters EJ, Fadel JG, Perez-Monti H, Taylor SJ et al. Influence of processed corn grain in diets of dairy cows on digestion of nutrients and milk composition. Journal of Dairy Science 1998; 81: 2394-2407.
22. Engstrom DF, Mathison GW, Goonewardene LA. Effect of B-glucan, starch, and fiber content and steam vs dry rolling of barley grain on its degradability and utilization by steers. Journal of Animal Feed Science 1992; 37: 33-46.
23. Gholami MA, Forouzmand, M, Khajavi,M, Hossienifar SH, Naghiha R. Effect of different corn processing methods on enzyme producing bacteria, protozoa, fermentation and histomorphometry of rumen in fattening lambs. Veterinary research Forum 2018; 9(1): 43-48.