Effect Of Rhubarb On Rumen Microflora And Me Thane Emissions In Goats

This study was to investigate the effect of rhubarb on rumen microflora and enteric methane emissions in goats. In vitro ruminal technique was employed to investigate effect of rhubarb and emodin supplementation on rumen fermentation and methane production. Animal feeding trial was then further performed to study the rhubarb supplementation on rumen microbial flora and enteric methane emission in goats. The changes microbiota was studied using fluorescence quantitative PCR. The in vitro incubation was ended at 24 h to determine the methane, hydrogen and volatile fatty acid production. Compared with the control group,2.5 mg/mL rhubarb and 0.24 mg/mL emodin greatly decreased the acetate and iso-butyrate production and ratio of acetate to propionate. It could be concluded that both rhubarb and emodin supplementation could inhibited the methane production during the in vitro ruminal fermentation. The results of animal feeding trials showed that rhubarb supplementation significantly decreased the enteric methane emissions in goats, but had little influence on the quantity of protozoa, fungi, methanogens, R.albus, R.flavefaciens, F.Succinogenes and S. Ruminantiu. The full text of the conclusions:Rhubarb can significantly inhibited the enteric methane emissions in goats, but no significant effecthad little effects on microbial flora, methane mitigation of rhubarb may be achieved by inhibiting the activity of methane emissions methanogens.