Effects of Inclusion of Different Levels of Ethiopian Thyme (Thymus schimperi Ronniger) as Natural Additive on Chemical Composition and In Sacco Dry Matter Degradability of Total Mixed Ration and Feed Ingredients

This study evaluated the effects of the inclusion of Ethiopian thyme (Thymus schimperi Ronninger) to natural pasture hay (NPH), noug seed cake (NSC), wheat bran (WB) and total mixed ration (TMR) on the chemical composition and in Sacco dry matter (DM) degradability of the feeds. The Thyme plant used for the study was collected from Dinsho and Tarmaber districts in the highlands of Ethiopia. Samples of the TMR and NPH, WB and NSC with or without thyme were divided into two parts and ground to pass through 1 mm screen for chemical analysis and 2 mm screen for in sacco DM degradability. The TMR contained 50% NPH, 32.5% WB, 14% NSC, 3% molasses and 0.5% common salt. The feed ingredients (NPH, WB and NSC) and the TMR were incubated without thyme or with thyme substituting the diet at 8%, 16% and 24% levels of treatments. The chemical composition of all the feeds differed significantly (P In sacco rumen dry matter degradability of NPH, WB, NSC and TMR was increased (P in sacco DM degradability of NPH at all incubation hours was higher (P Thymus schimperi plant up to a level of 24% DM in feed can reasonably stimulate the growth and activity of the certain rumen microbes that promoted an improvement in ruminal DM degradability of the diet with the thyme inclusion.

Potential and challenges of tannins as an alternative to in-feed antibiotics for farm animal production

Naturally occurring plant compounds including tannins, saponins and essential oils are extensively assessed as natural alternatives to in-feed antibiotics.Tannins are a group of polyphenolic compounds that are widely present in plant region and possess various biological activities including antimicrobial,anti-parasitic, anti-viral, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulation, etc.Therefore, tannins are the major research subject in developing natural alternative to in-feed antibiotics.Strong protein affinity is the well-recognized property of plant tannins, which has successfully been applied to ruminant nutrition to decrease protein degradation in the rumen, and thereby improve protein utilization and animal production efficiency.Incorporations of tannin-containing forage in ruminant diets to control animal pasture bloat, intestinal parasite and pathogenic bacteria load are another 3 important applications of tannins in ruminant animals.Tannins have traditionally been regarded as "anti-nutritional factor" for monogastric animals and poultry, but recent researches have revealed some of them, when applied in appropriate manner, improved intestinal microbial ecosystem, enhanced gut health and hence increased productive performance.The applicability of plant tannins as an alternative to in-feed antibiotics depends on many factors that contribute to the great variability in their observed efficacies.