EFFECT OF SAPONIN AS DEFA NATING AGENT ON IN VITRO R MINAL FERMENTATION OF FORAGE AND CONCENTRATE

Abstract

This research was arrange with a 4x3 factorial design of treatments to investigate the effect of saponin level in fermentation medium (0,0.1,0.2,or 0.3 mg/ml),and many kinds of fee (king grass, rice bran,and king grass:rice bran,60:40 w/w)on protozoa numbers,ammonia concentration,microbial protein,pH and cellullase activity.Each treatment was consiste of three replicates.Fermentation was done in syringe and use i vitro gas production me ium.The data obtaine were analyze by variance analysis using factorial design (4x3).The differences between mean values were analyze by Duncan ’s new multiple range test (DMRT).The result showe that protozoa numbers decrease 17.22,42.73 and 49.57%(P<0.01)for 0.1,0.2,and 0.3 mg/ml saponin,respectively from 8.19 ×10 3 /ml in the control.The addition of 0.1 mg/l saponin increase ammonia concentration from 33.04 mg/100 ml (without saponin) to 37.12 mg/100 ml (P<0,01),whereas the addition of 0.2 and 0.3 mg/ml saponin decrease ammonia concentrations by 1.69 and 16.50%(P<0.01)compare to the control.Microbial protein,cellullase activity and pH were not affecte neither by saponin nor kind of fee .Protozoal numbers and ammonia concentration in the rumen were lower (P<0.01)with king grass as substrat than that with rice bran,or king grass:rice bran.In general,no interactions between saponin and kind of fee were observed,except for ammonia concentration.It can be conclude that level of 0.2 mg/ml saponin have antimicrobial properties,particularly in suppressing protozoa,which may prove beneficial to ruminal fermentation and may lea to lower ruminal ammonia concentration,but it i not have negative effect on pH,microbial protein and cellullase activity.King grass as a substrate decreases protozoa numbers and ammonia concentration. Keywords:defaunation,in vitro rumen ferme tation,protozoa,saponin