In vitro microbial protein synthesis, ruminal degradation and post-ruminal digestibility of crude protein of dairy rations containing Quebracho tannin extract.

This study evaluated the effects of Quebracho tannin extract (QTE) on in vitro ruminal fermentation, chemical composition of rumen microbes, ruminal degradation and intestinal digestibility of crude protein (iCPd). Three treatments were tested, the control (basal diet without QTE), the basal diet with 15 g QTE/kg dry matter (DM) and the basal diet with 30 g QTE/kg DM. The basal diet contained (g/kg DM): 339 grass silage, 317 maize silage and 344 concentrate. In vitro gas production kinetic was determined using the Hohenheim gas test (Experiment 1). The Ankom RF technique, a batch system with automatic gas pressure recordings, was used to determine in vitro production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and ammonia-nitrogen concentration (NH3 -N), as well as nitrogen and purine bases content in liquid-associated microbes (LAM) and in a residue of undegraded feed and solid-associated microbes (Feed+SAM) (Experiment 2). Ruminal degradation and iCPd were determined using the nylon bag technique and the mobile nylon bag technique, respectively (Experiment 3). Gas production (Experiment 1), total SCFA and NH3 -N (Experiment 2) decreased with increasing QTE levels. Microbial mass and composition of LAM were not affected by QTE, but total mass of Feed+SAM linearly increased, likely due to decreased substrate degradation with increasing QTE levels. The total amount of N in microbial mass and undegraded feed after the in vitro incubation increased with increasing QTE levels, suggesting a potential greater N flow from the rumen to the duodenum. In contrast to in vivo studies with the same QTE, no effects were detected on ruminal effective degradability and iCPd, when using the nylon bag techniques. Based on the in vitro procedures, QTE increased the supply of N post-rumen; however, some evidence of a decreased fibre degradation were also observed. Therefore, the benefit of adding QTE to diets of cattle is still questionable.