The objective of the current study was to evaluate the effects of adding garlic essential oil on in vitro ruminal fermentation in Rusitec fermenters. Four fermenters were used in a crossover design and two incubation runs, with a control (no additive) and a dose of 180 mg/L of garlic essential oil. Fermenters were inoculated with ruminal contents from 5 sheep fed a 50:50 alfalfa hay:concentrate diet and the same diet was fed to the fermenters. Supplementation with garlic essential oil did not affect (P>0.05) total volatile fatty acid production, fermenters' pH or ammonia production, but increased (P0.05) by AJ, but garlic essential oil-supplementation affected the structure of bacterial populations in both the solid and liquid phases of the fermenters The results show the potential of essential garlic oil as a ruminal fermentation modifier, decreasing methane production without affecting the nutritive utilization of diet.

Este trabajo ha sido realizado en el marco de los proyectos AGL2008- 04707-C02-02 (financiado por el MINECO) y Acción Integrada AIB2010NZ-00190.

3 páginas, 1 tabla, 1 figura.--Trabajo presentado a las XVII Jornadas sobre Producción Animal AIDA (Zaragoza, 30 y 31 de mayo, 2017).

Peer reviewed