J. Sci. Agri. Technol. (2020) Vol. 1 (1): 26-32
DOI : https://doi.org/10.14456/jsat.2020.4
Abstract
Krabok and coconut oil were assessed for their ability to affect rumen protozoa via a 3×3 Latin square design with three rumen cannulated beef cows. The diets consisted of a TMR supplemented with either 25.5 g/kg of tallow (control) or the same quantity of coconut oil or krabok oil. The animals were fed restricted amounts (DM) of the experimental rations (1.5% of body weight per d) for 28 d per period. The samples of rumen fluid were collected on day 23 and 27 of each period, 0, 3, 6, 9 and 12h after morning feeding. Protozoa numbers decreased by 0.33 log units in the coconut (P<0.05) and 0.21 log units in the krabok oil diet (P<0.05) compared with the control diet. The ciliate value was not significantly different between treatment but were strongly (R2 = 0.88) linearly associated with protozoa counts. The concentration of total VFA was not affected (P = 0.804) by the diet. Except propionic acid which showed a trend (P = 0.056), the proportions of the remaining VFA were not significantly (P>0.10) different between treatments. The propionate proportion was only reduced by supplementation of coconut oil to the TMR. Neither oils affected amylolytic, cellulolytic or proteolytic bacteria counts. Cluster analysis of the DGGE profile showed two clusters of ciliate communities, one including all the T diet-fed animals. All except one DGGE profile of a cow fed the KO diet group into the second cluster. Coconut oil, and to a lesser extent krabok oil, has a marked effect on the numbers of rumen protozoa.
Keywords: krabok oil, coconut oil, rumen protozoa, ciliate
Received January 25, 2020. Revised March 3, 2020; March 12, 2020. Accepted March 22, 2020.
