THE EFFECT OF N-NH3 INCLUSION ON THE DEGRADATION OF TANNIN OF SORGHUM GRAIN BY RUMEN MICROBES

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted to study the effect of N-NH3 inclusion in the rumen liquor on the degradation of tannin of whole sorghum grain. The first experiment was carried out to determine the effect of N-NH3 inclusion doses in the rumen liquor on the degradation of sorghum grain tannin. The urea as a source of N-NH3 were included in rumen liquor at doses of 0, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5% from the weight of whole sorghum grain (w/w). The degradation of sorghum grain tannin was increased (P<0.05) by the doses of N-NH3 inclusion, but the degradation of sorghum grain tannin began to decrease at 1.5% of N-NH3 inclusion dose. In the second experiment, the 1% of N-NH3 inclusion dose was used to evaluate the duration of fermentation in the rumen liquor. The whole sorghum grain were fermented for 12h, 24h, 48h, and 48h in the rumen liquor. The 48h of fermentation gave a highest production of total protein production. The growth of tannase producing rumen microbes could be enhanced by inclusion of N-NH3.