Effects of Condensed Tannins from Quebracho Extract on the Kinetic of in vitro ...

• Author(s): Vieira, Sandrine C. ; Borba, Alfredo Emílio Silveira de
• Date: 2011
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.3/2618
• Origin: Repositório da Universidade dos Açores
• Subject(s): Quebracho; Trifolium repens; Lotus corniculatus; Lolium perenne; Condensed Tannins; In Vitro Gas Production
• Document Type: Article
• Language: English

Description

The aim of this work was to study the effect of condensed tannins (CT) on the kinetic of gas production in vitro, on the three main species of Azorean pasture: Trifolium repens, Lotus corniculatus and Lolium perenne, using Quebracho extract as the source of CT, and also to calculate total tannins and condensed tannins on the species studied. Lotus corniculatus, Lolium perenne and Trifolium repens were tested in vitro with the inclusion of Quebracho extract in doses of 0%, 2.5% and 5% DM. The total content in tannins was determined in the 3 species. We have found, in comparison with standard tannic acid, that tannins exist in the flower of T. repens (0.81 equivalents of tannic acid) and in L .corniculatus (1.07 equivalents of tannic acid) but not in L .perenne (0 equivalents of tannic acid). The concentration of condensed tannins in the 3 species was: 0.34 mg/mL for T. repens; 0.83 mg/mL for L. corniculatus and 0 mg/ml for L. perenne. We verified that a significant reduction (P < 0.05) of gas production happened for doses of 5% of CT in comparison with the other two concentrations: 0% and 2.5% of CT. The results of this study express a reduction of the fermentation rate, which implies a reduction of gas production, so, a reduction of methane emission to the atmosphere and an increase of exploitation of the protein by ruminants.