Effect of dry leaves of Senna gardneri on feed intake, body weight, nutrient digestibility, rumen parameters & methane emission in cattle

Introduction

India had the largest livestock population globally with 535.78 million, reflecting a 4.6% increase from the 2012 census. Cattle make up 35.94% of this population, numbering around 192.49 million, with a growth rate of 0.83% (DADH, 2019) [6] . Methane, a major greenhouse gas, is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide and contributes about 14% to global greenhouse gas emissions, with livestock, particularly cattle, responsible for 51% of methane emissions, exacerbating global warming (Kumari, 2019) [13] . Volatile fatty acids (VFAs) such as acetate, propionate and butyrate, produced during anaerobic digestion in the rumen, are crucial energy sources for animals but also generate methane (CH₄) and carbon dioxide (CO₂), released through eructation. Research on rumen microbial fermentation focuses on improving feed utilization, animal productivity, health and food safety, with methane production influenced by species, age, size, feed intake, type, quality and environmental conditions (Shibata, 2010) [28] . Plants containing secondary metabolites, especially tannins, exhibit significant antibacterial properties and can be used to suppress undesired bacteria in the rumen, thereby modifying the microbial ecosystem (Agarwal et al., 2006) [1] . Tannins, found in hydrolysable and condensed forms, are increasingly being incorporated into ruminant diets to enhance the quality of consumable products and reduce methane and nitrogen emissions (Jeronimo, 2016; Carulla, 2005) [11,3] . Senna gardneri, a species within the genus Senna (Leguminosae), is distributed across Brazil, India, Australia and Africa. It possesses numerous beneficial properties, including anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, antimicrobial, analgesic, antiparasitic, insecticidal, antitumor, hepatoprotective and antifungal effects (Ricarte et al., 2017) [27] . The leaf extracts of Senna gardneri have demonstrated significant anticancer activity, particularly against human colon and glioblastoma cancer cell lines (Silva et al., 2016) [29] . This plant is rich in polyphenolic compounds, containing approximately 425g/kg on a dry matter basis, with tannins constituting 80% of the total polyphenolic content (Ricarte et al., 2017) [27] . Tannins can bind with proteins, minerals and polysaccharides, forming complexes that affect nutrition and reduce feed intake by creating an unpleasant mouthfeel (Makkar, 2003; Lesschaeve & Noble, 2005) [17,15] . Condensed tannins can enhance dietary protein absorption by binding proteins in the rumen and releasing them in the acidic abomasum and alkaline small intestine (Mueller-Harvey, 2006) [18] . Tannins also inhibit protozoa, methanogens and other hydrogen-producing bacteria, thereby reducing methane production (Patra and Saxena, 2010) [23] . Methanogens in the rumen primarily use hydrogen and CO₂ as substrates, so introducing compounds that inhibit their activity can reduce methane synthesis (Tavendale et al., 2005) [31] .

Materials and Methods

The present research was carried out on 14 cattle for 70 days at the Animal Nutrition Research Station, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Anand from mid of April to June with average body weight of 287.57±16.21 kg of both groups. The experimental animals were randomly assigned to two treatment groups, each with seven animals. Treatment 1 consist of TMR feed with 60% roughage and 40% concentrate, which replace with 2% of senna gardneri by deducting deoiled rice bran form TMR in T 2 . All experimental animals were provided with total mixed ration (TMR) to meet their nutritional requirements (ICAR, 2013) [10] .

Observations Recorded

Feeding and Maintenance of Animals All experimental animals were fed TMR to meet their nutrient needs, as per ICAR (2013) [10] . Animals in the T 2 groups were fed TMR as per T 1 (Roughage: Concentrate; 60:40) but with additional supplement of 2% Senna gardneri in TMR. The animals were fed separately twice a day, in the morning and evening. Controlled exercise sessions were conducted for a duration of two hours in the morning and one hour in the afternoon, during which the animals had unrestricted access to clean and fresh drinking water. Prior to the commencement of the trial, all animals were dewormed using a broad spectrum anthelmintic. Dry leaves of Senna gardneri were obtained from the Department of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants at Anand Agricultural University, Anand, Gujarat. Senna gardneri Contain 12% Tannin on dry matter basis.

Digestion Trial

A 6-day digestion trial was conducted to assess nutrient digestibility in experimental animals. Leftover feed from each experimental animal was collected, weighed and representative samples were stored for analysis. Similarly, labelled samples of TMR (Total Mixed Ration) were also kept to determine dry matter content. These dried samples were pooled over 6 days, ground through a 1.0 mm sieve and stored in airtight containers for further proximate and fibre analysis. Faeces were collected and weighed daily, with samples taken for nitrogen and dry matter content estimation. Dried, pooled and ground samples were stored for further analysis. Records of TMR intake, leftovers and faeces output were maintained daily. The samples of different TMR offered, leftover and faeces of each animal were analyzed for proximate principles as per AOAC (2005) [2] and for fibre fractions as per Van Soest (1991) [32] .

Rumen Parameters

Rumen liquor (150 ml) was collected at 0, 3 and 6 h of post feeding through a stomach tube against negative pressure created by a suction pump from each experimental animal (Lane et al., 1968) [14] . The collected rumen liquor was strained through four layered muslin cloth and referred as Strained Rumen Liquor (SRL). The SRL was brought to the laboratory in a pre-warmed (39±1 °C) thermos flask for further analysis, Samples were estimated by using various analysis methos viz. Rumen pH analyzed by using pH meter, TVFAs estimated using steam distillation method using Markham micro-distillation assembly. The samples of SRL were analyzed for ammonia-N by Pearson and Smith, 1943 and total-N by Kjeldahl's method. After centrifugation of SRL, Soluble-N in supernatant of SRL after was estimated by Kjeldahl's method, while similarly nonprotein-nitrogen estimated except Trichloroacetic acid added of SRL.

Methane Production Estimation Using Sulphur Hexafluoride (Sf6) Tracer Technique

Permeation tubes were filled with SF6 gas and kept at 39 °C for 4 weeks. The release rates were monitored and standardized. Afterward, 14 tubes were inserted into the rumen of each cattle. Breath samples were collected daily for three consecutive days using PVC canisters from cattle fed control and senna gardneri supplemented TMR. Breath samples were analyzed for CH4 and SF6 using a Gas Chromatograph. The emission rate of CH4 was calculated using the permeation tube emission rate and the CH4/SF6 concentration ratio. Energy loss as CH4 was calculated as a percentage of gross, digestible and metabolizable energy intake. (Johnson et al., 1994) [12] Cost of Feeding The cost of feeding for cattle was calculated from the records of daily feed consumption and by considering the procurement price of feed ingredients, green fodder and Senna gardneri in cattle.

Statistical Analysis

The experimental data collected during the trial was analyzed using the independent t-test and two-way ANOVA in SPSS16 software, following the guidelines by Snedecor and Cochran (1994) [30] . Treatment and period means were compared using the Duncan Multiple Range Test, considering a p-value of less than 0.05 as statistically significant.

Results And Discussion

Proximate composition of different feed ingradients

The proximate composition and fibre fractions (NDF and ADF) of the TMR and green grass offered to experimental cattle are presented in Table

Body Weight

The initial average body weights of the animals in both the T 1 and T 2 treatment groups were identical at 287.57 kg. By the end of the experiment, the final body weights were maintained at 317.87 kg for the treatment group and 311.55 kg for the control group. Similar findings have been noted in previous research studies by (Okoruwa and Omoragbon (2017) [21] ; Pathak et al. (2017) [22] ; Ningrat et al. (2018) [19] ; Chaudhari (2018) [4] ; Ibrahim et al. (2024) [9] .

Nutrients Intake

There was significant (p>0.05) reduction in average DMI, CPI, DCPI & TDNI in Senna gardneri supplemented group as it depicted in Table 2. These findings were accompanied by researcher Ojha et al.

(2010) [20] ; Magnani et al. (2023) [16] with related to DMI, while it was higher in tannin supplemented group in Poornachandra et al. (2019) [25] experiment. CPI & DCPI were notably higher in previous experiment conducted by (Zhang et al. (2019)) [34] . Poornachandra et al.

(2019) [25] observed no effect of tannin supplementation in CPI.

On contrary to our findings, Prajapati (2016) [26] , Chaudhari (2018) [4] & Gosvami (2018) [8] observed non significant difference in TDNI.

Digestibility of Nutrients

The mean digestibility of nutrient remained unaltered no significant change was noted, it showed numerically higher crude protein & crude fibre digestibility. Similar to our finding, Dey and De (2014) [7] noted non significant alter in nutrient digestibility.

Rumen Parameters

Rumen pH remained unaltered during 3h & 6h in treatment group while it was found non significant differ between treatment and control. Average TVFAs values were significantly (p>0.05) higher in Senna supplemented group, Poornachandra et al. (2019) [25] & Chaudhari (2018) [4] found significant effect on TVFAs production. There was significantly (p<0.05) higher concentration of ammonia-N in treatment groups than control and it was higher at 3 h than 0 h and 6 h in both control & treatment groups with 30.6% increase in NH3-N concentration in Senna gardneri supplemented group. Chaudhari (2018) [4] obtained similar result for NH3-N. Similar result obtained for total N as it was numerically higher in treatment group as compared of control one and it was higher at 3 h than 0 h and 6 h in both control & treatment groups. Chaudhari (2018) [4] & Gosvami (2019) [8] obtained similar result. Both NPN & TCA precipitable N were found non significant while soluble N was statistically higher in T 2 as compare to control. [33,5,26,25,4,8,16] . group, respectively. There was significant difference observed in both total & daily feed cost among the groups as due to lower intake in treatment group. These observations mirror those reported in earlier research by Dey and De (2014) [7] ; Chaudhari (2018) [4] ; Gosvami (2019) [8] .

Conclusions

Senna gardneri supplementation had no negative impact on animal body weight and significantly decreased dry matter and nutrient intake. Digestibility of nutrient remained unchanged. Furthermore, Senna gardneri significantly increased total volatile fatty acids (TVFA), ammoniacal nitrogen (N) and soluble nitrogen (N), indicating improved rumen microbial activity, although the increase in average total nitrogen concentration in strained rumen liquor (SRL) was not significant. Additionally, Senna gardneri supplementation led to a significant reduction in daily methane emissions by 11% and dietary energy loss through methane by 19.30%. The daily feed cost and total feed cost over 70 days were also significantly lower in the Senna gardneri supplemented group. Therefore, it can be concluded that incorporating dry Senna gardneri leaves at a 2% inclusion rate in the total mixed ration (TMR) of cattle is beneficial, resulting in a significant reduction in methane emissions without any adverse effects on the animals.

Acknowledgement

AcknowledgmentThe authors are grateful to the Animal Nutrition Research Station, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Anand. I am thankful for providing the necessary facilities and financial support for undertaking this study.

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