1Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Juarez del Estado de Durango. Carr Durango-Mezquital km 11.5, 34307. Durango, Mexico
2Facultad de Zootecnia y Ecologia, Universidad Autonoma de Chihuahua. Periferico Francisco R Almada km 1, 33820. Chihuahua, Mexico
Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Juarez del Estado de Durango. Carr Durango-Mezquital km 11.5, 34307. Durango, Mexico
*Corresponding author's e-mail: gerardo.pamanes@gmail.com
Online published on 9 October, 2018.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the inclusion of water hyacinth (WH) as a possible substitution of alfalfa hay (AH) in diets of beef cattle on in vitro methane production, gas kinetics and chemical composition. AH in the diets was substituted by WH at 0% (T1, as a control), 25% (T2), 50% (T3), 75% (T4) and 100% (T5). Methane, CO2 and gas production parameters were recorded after 24 and 48h of incubation. NDF, condensed tannins and total phenolic compounds increased when AH was substituted. Likewise, the net gas production decreased linearly when AH was substituted. However, gas production rate among treatments were similar. Methane and CO2 production decreased linearly with inclusion of WH. These resultsindicate that WH arisesas a promising alternative for mitigating methane production in ruminants.
Condensed tannins, Gas production, Methane, Ruminants, Water hyacinth