article · BMC Veterinary Research
This research evaluates how dietary supplements of condensed tannins or an herbal mixture affect the rumen fermentation, gut microbiome, and rumen tissue of Shami goats. The herbal mixture contained ginger, garlic, Artemisia, and turmeric. Feeding goats the herbal mixture resulted in higher rumen pH and increased concentrations of total and individual volatile fatty acids, including acetic, propionic, and butyric acids. Both tannin and herbal supplements altered the structure of the microbial community, raising the relative abundance of Bacteroidota and Proteobacteria while reducing Firmicutes and Fibrobacterota. In addition, the dominant genera Prevotella and Rikenellaceae RC9 increased, whereas Ruminococcaceae declined. The supplements also modified archaeal populations, decreasing Methanobrevibacter and increasing Candidatus Methanomethylophilus. Finally, condensed tannin supplementation caused a shortening of the rumen papillae.
Modifying the digestive processes and microbial communities of ruminants can enhance nutrient utilisation and digestive health. Understanding how natural additives such as herbs and tannins influence rumen bacteria and gut structure helps identify feeding approaches that improve livestock fermentation efficiency without relying on synthetic chemicals.
This work points towards feed additive formulations using plant mixtures for goat producers and animal nutrition companies. The findings demonstrate biological effects in a controlled trial of eighteen goats, indicating early-stage research. Further development would require larger field trials to evaluate overall animal growth performance, practical dosing, and cost-effectiveness before commercial implementation.
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BACKGROUND: Phytochemical compounds can modify the rumen microbiome and improve rumen fermentation. This study evaluated the impact of supplementation with tannin and an herbal mixture containing ginger (Zingiber officinale), garlic (Allium sativum), Artemisia (Artemisia vulgaris), and turmeric (Curcuma longa) on the rumen fermentation and microbiota, and histology of rumen tissue of goats. Eighteen Shami male goats were divided into three groups (n = 6): non-supplemented animals fed the basal diet (C, control); animals fed basal diet and supplemented with condensed tannin (T); and animals fed basal diet and supplemented with herbal mixture (HM). Each animal received a basal diet composed of Alfalfa hay and a concentrate feed mixture. RESULTS: Group HM revealed higher (P < 0.05) rumen pH, total volatile fatty acids (VFA), acetic, propionic, isobutyric, butyric, isovaleric, and valeric. Principal Co-ordinate analysis (PCoA) showed that rumen microbial communities in the control group and supplemented groups were distinct. The supplementation increased (P < 0.05) the relative abundances of phylum Bacteroidota and Proteobacteria and declined (P < 0.05) Firmicutes and Fibrobacterota. Additionally, the dominant genus Prevotella and Rikenellaceae RC9 gut group were increased (P < 0.05) and the family Ruminococcaceae was declined (P < 0.05) due to the supplementation. The supplementation decreased (P < 0.05) the archaeal genus Methanobrevibacter and increased (P < 0.05) Candidatus Methanomethylophilus. Tannin supplementation in T group shortened the rumen papillae. CONCLUSIONS: The results revealed that the herbal mixture might be used to alter the rumen microbiota to improve rumen fermentation.
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DOI: 10.1186/s12917-024-03887-2
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