Read Full Study: Mdpi.com
This study evaluated the effects of barley sprout on the ruminal fermentation characteristics, enteric methane emission and microbiome profiles of meat-master lambs. Twelve uncastrated lambs aged 3 months were used. They were randomly assigned to three dietary treatments: Eragrostis curvula hay as a control diet (T1), grass hay plus 25% barley sprouts (T2) and grass hay plus 50% barley sprouts (T3). Animals were fed the diet for 61 days, including 10 days of adaptation. Four animals per treatment were used to collect methane and rumen fluid. Methane emission was recorded for nine consecutive days, from day 52 to 60, using a hand-held laser detector. Rumen fluid was collected on day 61 using an esophageal stomach tube for volatile fatty acid and DNA sequencing. The sprout supplementation had significant (p < 0.05) effects on methane emission and ruminal fermentation. Significant effects on rumen fermentation were observed with regards to ammonia–nitrogen (NH3-N), acetic acid and a tendency (p < 0.0536) to increase propionic acid. Barley sprouts reduced methane gas emission, ammonia–nitrogen and the enhanced body weight of the animals. The bacteria Bacteroidota and Firmicutes were predominant among the identified phyla. In addition, there was a shift in the relative abundance of phylum among the treatments. The principal coordinate analysis showed a clear difference in microbiome among animals in T1 and those in T2 and T3. The sprout supplementation improves feed utilization efficiency by the animals. In conclusion, barley sprouts may be strategically used as a climate-smart feed resource for ruminants.
Bacteroidota and Firmicutes are two phyla of bacteria. Bacteroidota is a phylum of Gram-negative bacteria that are commonly found in the human gut and play a significant role in breaking down carbohydrates that can’t be digested by the body’s enzymes, such as dietary fiber and resistant starch 1. Firmicutes, on the other hand, is a phylum of Gram-positive bacteria that are also found in the human gut and are involved in the relationship between gut bacteria and human health 1.
In a recent study, it was found that Bacteroidota and Firmicutes played important but different roles in the decomposition of straw residues in a paddy soil. Firmicutes were likely to be more important during the early stage of cellulose cleavage, whereas Bacteroidota were likely to be more involved in the hemicellulose decomposition during the later stage 2.
Read Full Study: Frontiersin.org
Research is increasingly directed towards decreasing the greenhouse gases contribution, specifically methane, from the livestock agriculture sector. Macroalgae supplementation has emerged as a promising tool to mitigate enteric methane emission in ruminants. The mode of action responsible for the mitigation effect centers around the content of volatile halogenated compounds, primarily bromoform. The sub-tropical red seaweed, Asparagopsis taxiformis, is the most well researched bromoform containing species. While several studies, both in vitro and in vivo, have demonstrated the effectiveness of A. taxiformis at reducing enteric methane emission (> 80% reduction), questions surrounding sustainability, animal productivity, animal product quality, and commercial practicality remain. These questions by no means disqualify the practice of feeding macroalgae to cattle to reduce methane emission, but they must be answered before implementing macroalgae as a feed additive commercially.
Read Full Study: Frontiersin.org
Recognizing the urgent need to address climate change, most nations have set a goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by the second half of the twenty-first century (1). Methane (CH4) is a major source of atmospheric GHG (2). For example, CH4 emissions from the enteric fermentation of ruminants contribute to approximately 37.3% of the total GHG emissions across the agricultural sector in Korea (3). Methane produced by ruminants is not only related to climate change but also associated with a loss of energy (2–12% gross energy intake) of the host animals (4). Energy saved because of a decrease in CH4 production could potentially be available for animal performance and improve the efficiency of production (i.e., meat, milk, and wool) (5).
Read Full Study: Academic.oup.com
Methane emitted from the livestock sector contributes to greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. Understanding the variability in enteric methane production related to diet is essential to decreasing uncertainty in greenhouse gas emission inventories and to identifying viable greenhouse gas reduction strategies. Our study focused on measuring methane in growing beef cattle fed corn- or barley-based diets typical of those fed to cattle in North American feedlots.
Read Full Study: Bmcnutr.biomedcentral.com
Barley contains abundant soluble beta-glucan fibers, which have established health benefits. In addition, the health benefits conferred by the gut bacteria have attracted considerable interest. However, few studies have focused on the barley consumption and gut bacteria of the Japanese population. In this study, we aimed to identify the relationship between the barley consumption and gut bacteria composition of the Japanese population.
