DefinePK

Abstract

Increased emissions of methane gas (CH4) have an effect on global warming and are predicted to continue to increase in line with increasing livestock productivity. This research aimed to obtain the optimum level of using feed additive essential oil (EO) and to know the effect of EO to increase feed efficiency so as to reduce methane gas emissions. The addition of EO to cattle rations was tested experimentally in vitro. This research used a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with five treatments and three replications. The treatments were 0, 50, 100, 150, and 200µL citronella oil/200mL of buffered rumen fluid. The variables observed were methane gas production, protozoa population, microbial protein synthesis, rumen fluid characteristics (pH, NH3, VFA), digestibility of dry matter (DMD), organic matter (OMD), crude protein (CPD) and fiber fractions (Neutral Detergent Fiber, Acid Detergent Fiber, cellulose, and hemicellulose). The results showed that supplementation of citronella oil in rations in vitro had no significant differences (P>0.05) in ruminal pH, significant differences (P<0.05) on VFA, NH3, NDF, ADF, cellulose, hemicellulose, had a highly significant difference (P<0.01) on methane production, protozoa population, DMD, OMD, CPD. Based on the results of the study it was concluded that the addition of essential oil, 50 µL citronella/200 mL buffered rumen fluid (P2), can be used as a rumen modification to reduce methane production and protozoa populations and to increase digestibility in vitro.