Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 1Assistant professor, Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, University of Herat, Afghanistan

2 3Professor, Department of Animal science, College of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

3 Higher Education Complex of Torbat-e Jam

4 4Professional engineering, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Torbat-e Jam Faculty of Medical Sciences

Abstract

This experiment was conducted to study the effect of different levels of pure saponin (Loba Chemie Ltd.) on digestibility, fermentation parameters, ruminal protozoa population and blood metabolites in Baluchi male sheep. Four rumen fistulated Baluchi male sheep (LW=40.3±2.2kg) were used in a change-over design. Experimental treatments were 1) basal diet (control), 2) basal diet + 75 mg saponin per kg of diet (DM basis), 3) basal diet + 150 mg saponin, and 4) basal diet + 300 mg saponin. Saponin did not affect apparent digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, crude fat, NDF, and ADF of the diet (P>0.05). Concentration of acetate, propionate, butyrate, valerate and also pH of the rumen fluid were not affected by the treatments (P>0.05), but the level of 300 mg saponin increased total volatile fatty acids compared to the control group (P<0.05). The mean of ammonia nitrogen concentration and total number of protozoa were decreased with the increasing of saponin in the diet (P<0.05). Also by increasing saponin in the diet, the mean of blood triglyceride concentration decreased (P<0.05) but cholesterol, HDL, and LDL level were not affected by the treatments (P>0.05). Although use of saponin up to 300 mg in the diet, had no negative effect on the health of animal, but among the studied parameters, ammonia nitrogen concentration, total volatile fatty acids, blood triglyceride and numbers of ruminal protozoa were affected by saponin. However, more studies are needed to prove the beneficial effects of saponins on animal performance.

Keywords

محقی، محمد مهدی. (1392). بررسی تأثیر ساپونین و تانن بر تخمیر و بیوهیدروژناسیون اسیدهای چرب شکمبه در شرایط برون‌تنی و الگوی اسیدهای چرب ماهیچه longissimus dorsi بره‌های نر بلوچی. پایان نامه دکتری، دانشکده کشاورزی دانشگاه فردوسی مشهد.
نعمتی شیزری، فاطمه. (1389). بررسی اثر گیاهان دارویی بر پارامترهای شکمبه به روش آزمایشگاهی. پایان نامه کارشناسی ارشد، دانشکده کشاورزی دانشگاه تربیت مدرس.
Agarwal, N., Kamra, D.N. and Chaudhary, L.C. (2006). Effect of Sapindus mukorossi extracts on in vitro methanogenesis and fermentation characteristics in buffalo rumen liquor. Journal of Applied Animal Research. 30 (1): 1-4.
AOAC. (2005). Official Methods of Analysis, 18th Edition.Association of Official Analytical Chemists, Maryland, USA.
Barl, P., Roberts, K., Larsson, K., Ljusberg-Wahren, H. and Norin, T. (1979). Phase equilibria in a ternary system saponin sunflower oil monoglycerides–water; Interactions between aliphatic and alicyclic amphiphiles. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 30: 864-868.
Benchaar, C., McAllister, T.A. and Chouinard, P.Y. (2008). Digestion, ruminal fermentation, ciliate protozoal populations, and milk production from dairy cows fed cinnamaldehyde, quebracho condensed tannin, or Yucca schidigera saponin extracts. Journal of Dairy Science. 91: 4765-4777. 
Cheeke, P.R. (2000). Actual and potential applications of Yucca schidigera and Quillaja saponaria saponins in human and animal nutrition. Journal of Animal Science. 77: 1-10.
Eryavuz, A. and Dehority, B.A. (2004). Effect of Yucca schidigera extract on the concentration of rumen microorganisms in sheep. Animal Feed Science and Technology. 117: 215–222.
Goel, G., Makkar, H.P.S. and Becker, K. (2008). Effect of Sesbania sesban and Carduus pycnocephalus leaves and fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) seeds and their extracts on partitioning of nutrient from roughage and concentrate based feeds to methane. Animal Feed Science and Technology. 147: 72-89.
Goetsch, A.L. and Owens, F.N. (1985). Effects of sarsaponin on digestion and passage rates in cattle fed medium to low concentrates. Journal of Dairy Science. 68: 2377–2384.
Guo, Y.Q., Liu, J.X., Lu, Y., Zhu, W.Y., Denman, S.E. and McSweeney, C.S. (2008). Effect of tea saponin on methanogenesis, microbial community structure and expression of mcrA gene, in cultures of rumen micro organisms. Letters in Applied Microbiology. 47: 421-426.
Gutierrez, J., Davis, R.E. and Lindahl, I.L. (1959). Characteristics of saponin-utilizing bacteria from the rumen of cattle. Applied Microbiology. 7: 304-308.
Han, L.K., Nose, R., Li, W., Gong, X.J., Zheng, Y.N., Yoshikawa, M., Koike, K., Nikaido, T., Okuda, H. and Kimura, Y. (2006). Reduction of fat storage in mice fed a high-fat diet long term by treatment with saponins prepared from Kochia scoparia fruit. Phytotherapy Research. 20: 877-882.
Headon, D.R., Buggle, K., Nelson, A. and Killeen, G. (1991). Glycofractions of the Yucca plant and their role in ammonia control. In: Proceeding of the Alltech’s Seventh Annual Symposium of Biotechnology Feed Industry, Nicholasville, Kentucky, USA, pp: 95-108. 
Hess, H.D., Beuret, R.A., Lotscher, M., Hindrichsen, I.K., Machmuller, A., Carulla, J.E. Lascano, C.E. and Kreuzer, M. (2004). Rumen fermentation, methanogenesis and nitrogen utilization of sheep receiving tropical grass hay-concentrate diets offered with Sapindus saponaria fruits and Cratylia argentea foliage. Journal of Animal Science. 79: 177-189.
Holtshausen, L., Chaves, A.V., Beauchemin, K.A., McGinn, S.M., McAllister, T.A., Odongo, N.E., Cheeke, P.R. and Benchaar, C. (2009). Feeding saponin-containing Yucca schidigera and Quillaja saponaria to decrease enteric methane production in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science. 92: 2809-2821.
Hristov, A.N., McAllister, A., Van Herk, F.H., Cheng, K.J., Newbold, C.J. and Cheeke, P.R. (1999). Effect of Yucca schidigera on ruminal fermentation and nutrient digestion in heifers. Journal of Animal Science. 77: 2554-2563.
Hu, W.L., Liu, J., Ye, J.A., Wu, Y.M. and Guo, Y.Q. (2005). Effect of tea saponin on rumen fermentation in vitro. Animal Feed Science and Technology. 120: 333–339.
Hussain, I. and Cheeke, P.R. (1995). Effect of dietary Yucca schidigera extract on rumen and blood profiles of steers fed concentrate or roughage-based diets. Animal Feed Science and Technology. 51: 231-242.
Ivan, M., Mir, P.S., Koenig, K.M., Rode, L.M., Neill, L., Entz, T. and Mir, Z. (2001). Effects of dietary sunflower seed oil on rumen protozoa population and tissue concentration of conjugated linoleic acid in sheep. Small Ruminant Research. 41: 215–227.
Jouany, J.P. (1996). Effect of rumen protozoa on nitrogen utilization by ruminants. Journal of Nutrition. 126: 1335S-1346S.
Khiaosa-ard, R., Bryner, S.F., Scheeder, M.R.L., Wettstein, H.R., Leiber, F., Kreuzer, M. and Soliva, C.R. (2009) Evidence for the inhibition of the terminal step of ruminal α-linolenic acid biohydrogenation by condensed tannins. Journal of Dairy Science. 92: 177–188.
Klita, P.T., Mathison, G.W., Fenton, T.W. and Hardin, R.T. (1996). Effects of alfalfa root saponins on digestive function in sheep. Journal of Animal Science. 74: 1144–1156.
Lila, Z.A., Mohammed, N., Kanda, S., Kamada, T. and Itabashi, H. (2003). Effect of sarsaponin on ruminal fermentation with particular reference to methane production in vitro. Journal of Dairy Science. 86: 3330-3336.
Lila, Z.A., Mohammed, N., Kanda, S., Kurihara, M. and Itabashi, H. (2005). Sarsaponin effects on ruminal fermentation and microbes, methane production, digestibility and blood metabolites in steers. Asian-Australian Journal of Animal Science 18: 1746-1751.
Lourenco, M., Cardozo, P.W., Calsamiglia, S. and Fievez, V. (2008). Effects of saponins, quercetin, eugenol, and cinnamaldehyde on fatty acid biohydrogenation of forage polyunsaturated fatty acids in dual-flow continuous culture fermenters. Journal of Animal Science. 86(11): 3045-3053.
Lovett, D.K., Stack, L., Lovell, S., Callan, J., Flynn, B., Hawkins, M. and Mara, F.P.O. (2006). Effect of feeding Yucca schidigera extract on performance of lactating dairy cows and ruminal ermentation parameters in steers. Livestock Science. 102: 23–32.
Lu, C.D. and Jorgensen, N.A. (1987). Alfalfa saponins affect site and extent of nutrient digestion in ruminants. Journal of Nutrition. 117: 919–927.
Makkar, H.P.S. and Becker, K. (1996). Effect of quillaja saponins on in vitro rumen fermentation. Advances in Experimental Biology. 405: 387–394.
 Mao, H.L., Wang, J.K., Zhou, Y.Y. and Liu, J.X. (2010). Effects of addition of tea saponins and soybean oil on methane production, fermentation and microbial population in the rumen of growing lambs. Livestock Science. 129(1-3): 56-62.
Mathison, G.W., Soofi-Siawask, R., Klita, P.T., Okine, E.K. and Sedgwick, G. (1999). Degradability of alfalfa saponins in the digestive tract of sheep and their accumulation in rumen fluid. Canadian Journal of Animal Science. 79: 315–319.
Matsuura, M. (2001). Saponins in garlic as modifiers of the risk of cardiovascular disease. Journal of Nutrition. 131: 1000S–1005S
McDonald, P., Edwards, R.A., Greenhalgh, J.F.D. and  Morgan C.A. (1995). Animal Nutrition. 5nd Edition. John Wiley and Sons Inc., New York, NY.
Mitra, S. and Dungan, S.R. (1997). Micellar properties of Quillaja saponin. 1. Effects of temperature, salt, and pH on solution properties. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 45: 1587-1595.
Nasri, S., Salem, H.B., Vasta, V., Abidia, S., Makkar, H.P.S. and Priolo, A. (2011). Effect of increasing levels of Quillaja saponaria on digestion, growth and meat quality of Barbarine lamb. Animal Feed Science and Technology. 164: 71-78.
Navas-Camacho, A., Laredo, M.A. and Cuesta, A. (1993). Effect of supplementation with a tree legume forage on rumen function. Livestock Research for Rural Development. 5 (2).
Newbold, C.J., El Hassan, S.M., Wang, J., Ortega, M.E. and Wallace, R.J. (1997). Influence of foliage from African multipurpose trees on activity of rumen protozoa and bacteria. British Journal of Nutrition. 78: 237-249.
NRC. (2007). Nutrient Requirements of Small Ruminants: Sheep, Goats, Cervids, and New World Camelids. 6nd Edition. National Academy Press, Washington, USA.
Oakenfull, D.G., Fenwick, D.E. and Hood, R.L. (1979). Effects of saponins on bile acids and plasma lipids in the rat. British Journal of Nutrition. 42: 209-216.
Oakenfull, D.G. and Sidhu, G.S. (1989) Saponins. In Toxicants of Plant Origin. P: 97-141, In: Cheeke, P.R. (eds.). Toxicant of plant origin. CRC Press.
Oakenfull, D.G. and Sidhu, G.S. (1990). Could saponins be a useful treatment for hypercholesterolemia?. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 44: 79–88.
Odenyo, A.A., Osuji, P.O. and Karanfil, O. (1997). Effects of multipurpose tree (MPT) supplements on ruminant ciliate protozoa. Animal Feed Science and Technology. 67: 169-180.
Ogimoto, K. and Imai, S. (1981). Atlas of rumen microbiology. 1nd Edition. Japan Scientific Societies Press, Tokyo, Japan.
Ottenstein, D. and Bartley, D. (1971). Improved gas chromatography separation of free acids C2-C5 in dilute solution. Analytical Chemistry. 43(7): 952-955.
Patra, A.K. and Saxena, J. (2009). The effect and mode of action of saponins on the microbial populations and fermentation in the rumen and ruminant production. Nutrition Research Reviews. 22: 204–219.
Pen, B., Sar, C., Mwenya, B., Kuwaki, K., Morikawa, R. and Takahashi, J. (2006). Effects of Yucca schidigera and Quillaja saponaria extracts on in vitro ruminal fermentation and methane emission. Animal Feed Science and Technology. 129: 175–186.
Potter, J.D., Illman, R.J., Calvert, G.D., Oakenfull, D.G. and Topping, D.L. (1980). Soya saponins, plasma lipids, lipoproteins and fecal bile acids: A double blind cross-over study. Nutrition Reports International. 22: 521-528.
Potter, S.M., Jimenez-Flores, R., Pollack, J., Lone, T.A. and Berber-Jimenez, M.D. (1993). Protein saponin interaction and its influence on blood lipids. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 41: 1287–1291.
Ramirez, J.E., Alvarez, E.G., Chai, W., Montano, M.F. and Zinn, R.A. (1998). Influence of saponins on fatty acid digestion in steers fed a high-fat finishing diet. Journal of Dairy Science. 81(SUPPL 1): 290.
SAS/STAT. (2004). User’s Guide. Version 9.1, SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA.
Sen, S., Makkar, H.P.S. and Becker, K. (1998). Alfalfa saponins and their implication in animal nutrition. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 46: 131-140.
Shimoyamada, M., Ikedo, S., Ootsubo, R. and Watanabe, K. (1998). Effects of soybean saponins on chymotryptic hydrolyses of soybean proteins. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 46: 4793-4797.
Sliwinski, B.J., Kreuzer, M., Wettstein, H.R. and Machmuller, A. (2002). Rumen fermentation and nitrogen balance of lambs fed diets containing plant extracts rich in tannins and saponins and associated emissions of nitrogen and methane. Archives of Animal Nutrition. 56: 379-392.
Southon, S.,  Johnson, I.T., Gee, G.M. and Price, K.R. (1988). The effect of Gypsophylla saponins in the diet on mineral status and plasma cholesterol concentration in the rat. British Journal of Nutrition. 59: 49-55.
Sur, P., Chaudhuri, T., Vedasiromoni, J.R., Gomes, A. and Ganguly, D.K. 2001. Antiinflammatory and antioxidant property of saponins of tea [Camellia sinensis (L) O. Kuntze] root extract. Phytotherapy Research. 15(2): 174-176.
Tabacco, E., Borreani, G., Crovetto, G.M, Galassi, G., Colombo, D. and Cavallarm, L. (2006). Effect of chestnut tannin on fermentation quality, proteolysis and protein rumen degradability alfalfa silage. Journal of Dairy Science. 89: 4736-4746.
Takahashi, J., Mwenya, B., Santoso, B., Sar, C., Umetsu, K., Kishimoto, T., Nishizaki, K. Kimura, K. and Hamamoto, O. (2005). Mitigation of methane emission and energy recycling in animal agricultural systems. Asian-Australian Journal of Animal Science. 18: 1199-1208.
Teferedegne, B., McIntosh, F., Osuji, P.O., Odenyo, A., Wallace, R.J. and Newbold, C.J. (1999). Influence of foliage from different accessions of the subtropical leguminous tree, Sesbania sesban on rumen protozoa in Ethiopian and Scottish sheep. Animal Feed Science and Technology. 78: 11–20.
Topping, D.L., Storer, G.B., Calvert, G.D., Illman, R.J., Oakenfull, D.J. and Weller, R.A. (1980). Effects of dietary saponins on fecal bile acids and neutral sterols, plasma lipids, and lipoprotein turn over in the pig. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 33: 783-786.
Valdez, F.R., Bush, L.J., Goetsch, A.L. and Owens, F.N. (1986). Effect of steroidal sapogenins on ruminal fermentation and on production of lactating dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science. 69: 1568–1575.
Van Soest, P.J., Robertson, J.B. and Lewis B.A. (1991). Methods for dietary fiber, neutral detergent fiber and non-starch polysaccharide in relation to animal nutrition. Journal of Dairy Science. 74: 3583–3597.
Wallace, R.J., Arthaud, L. and Newbold, C.J. (1994). Influence of Yucca shidigera extract on ruminal ammonia concentrations and ruminal micro-organisms. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 60: 1762-1767.
Wang, Y., McAllister, T.A., Newbold, C.J., Rode, L.M., Cheeke, P.R. and Cheng, K.J. (1998). Effects of Quillaja saponaria extract on fermentation and degradation of steroidal saponins in the rumen simulation technique (rusitec). Animal Feed Science and Technology. 74: 143-153.
Wina, E., Muetzel, S. and Hoffmann, E. (2005). Saponins containing methanol extract of Sapindus rarak affect microbial fermentation, microbial activity and microbial community structure in vitro. Animal Feed Science and Technology. 121: 159–174.
Zhou, Y.Y., Mao, H.L., Jiang, F., Wang, J.K., Liu, J.X. and McSweeney C.S. (2011). Inhibition of rumen methanogenesis by tea saponins with reference to fermentation pattern and microbial communities in Hu sheep. Animal Feed Science and Technology. 166-167: 93–100.