Lysiloma acapulcensis extract on digestibility and ruminal fermentarion of a diet for sheep

The nutritional value of a basal diet for sheep supplemented with di erent levels of free condensed tannins (FCT) from Lysiloma acapulcensis (T0=0; T1= 2.5; T2 = 5.0 y T3=7.5 g d −1) was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. The degradation kinetics of the substrate was determined in vitro using the technique of gas production, while the concentration of N-NH3 and the population of ruminal protozoa were established in vivo. Data was analyzed with a completely randomized and a Latin square design, respectively. The maximum rate of gas produced to the asymptote (phase b) was lower (p < 0.05) in treatment T1, while treatments T2 and T3 showed the lowest values (p < 0.05). The short-chain fatty acid content (SCFAC) and the metabolizable energy (ME) were reduced in the treatments containing FCTL (p < 0.05). The apparent digestibility of raw protein (ADRP) in vivo was greater in T2 (79.4 %, p < 0.05). The concentration of N-NH3 showed a quadratic behavior (p < 0.05) during the rst postprandial hours. The protozoa population was greater (p < 0.5) in the animals receiving FCT. The addition of FCT improves ADRP, increases the levels of N-NH3 and decreases AGCC and ME, stimulating the growth of ruminal protozoa.