Supplementation of DHA-Gold pre and/or postnatally to goat kids modifies in vitro methane production and rumen morphology until 6 mo old

摘要

This study aimed to investigate the effect of pre and/or postnatal supplementation of a dry whole cell algae ( ) to goat kids, on in vitro methane ( ) production, animal growth, and rumen morphology at the age of 6 mo. Furthermore, the in vitro retreatment effect of DHA-Gold was evaluated. Twenty pregnant Saanen goats giving birth to 2 male kids were used. Half of these does were supplemented ( ) with 18.2 g/d of DHA-Gold in the last 3 wk of pregnancy, whereas the other half was not ( ). After kidding, one goat kid per doe in both groups was supplemented daily with 0.28 g/kg of body weight of DHA-Gold ( ) until 12 wk, whereas the other goat kids were untreated (k−). This resulted in 4 experimental groups D+k+, D+k−, D−k+, and D−k−. In vitro incubations were performed at the ages of 4 wk, 11 wk, and 6 mo. At the age of 6 mo, goat kids were euthanized and additional incubations were performed supplementing 4 doses of DHA-Gold (0, 0.4, 0.8, and 1.6 mg/mL). Additionally, rumen tissue of the atrium ruminis, ventral rumen, and dorsal blind sac were collected to assess rumen morphology. Rumen inocula of 4-wk-old goat kids supplemented D+ showed lower ( < 0.05) in vitro CH production, however, this was mainly due to a reduction in the overall fermentation, while CH expressed relatively to total volatile fatty acids ( ) was higher when goat kids were treated D+ or k+. The detrimental D+ effect on VFA production diminished at 11 wk old but remained a tendency (0.05 < < 0.1). As for 4 wk D+ as well as k+ supplementation of DHA-Gold stimulated rather than inhibited in vitro CH production expressed relative to total VFA. Supplementation of DHA-Gold either D+ or k+ decreased density, width, and surface area of the ruminal papillae. However, no effect on animal growth was observed. Moreover, detrimental effects of D+ or k+ treatment on VFA production or stimulation of relative CH production were no longer observed at 6 mo old. Nevertheless, direct exposure of DHA-Gold to 6-mo-old inoculum linearly ( < 0.05) decreased CH and VFA production, which tended ( = 0.06) to be greater when using D-rumen inoculum. Accordingly, neither D+ nor k+ DHA-Gold supplementation showed potential for reduction of rumen methanogenesis. Furthermore, this early life intervention could represent some risk for impaired rumen papillae development, which, however, did not impair animal performance.