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Depression of rumen ammonia and protozoal population of Holstein bulls fed soybean meal treated with tannins extracted from pistachio hulls
An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of soybean meal (SBM) supplementation with tannins extracted from pistachio hulls (TEP) on some ruminal parameter such as: pH, rumen ammonia and protozoal population of Holstein growing bulls. Twenty-eight Holstein young bulls (average initial weigh 256±63kg) were used in a completely randomized design with four treatments and seven replicates for 94 days. Tannin were extracted from pistachio hulls (TEP) and contained 11.14 % total phenol and 7.13% total tannin /DM of extract. Treatments included: (1); control (SBM without TEP) (2); SBM with 5% TEP (3); SBM with 10% TEP and (4); SBM treated with 15% (kg TEP /100kg DM SBM. Rumen fluid was collected via stomach tube 4h after morning feeding. The pH was determined in ruminal samples immediately after sampling and then Protozoa were counted using Burker counting chamber on days 83 and 85. Rumen fluid was transported to the laboratory and frozen for ammonia analysis. According to results, there was a significant decrease (P<0.05) in the rumen ciliate protozoa population caused by feeding 15% levels of TEP. On the other hand, there was a significant decrease (P<0.05) of tannin supplementation on ammonia concentrations and pH among treatment 15% TEP and control. This result indicates that tannin are able to reduce protein degradation in the rumen and increase bacterial flow to the duodenum by effecting defaunation in male bulls.
Keywords: Holstein young bulls, Pistachios hulls, protozoal, rumen ammonia,tannin