Effect of Artemisiae absinthil herba and Inulae rhizomata et radices on Fermentation Processes and Methanogenesis in the Rumen of Young Cattle

Herbal preparations and their biologically active compounds can improve the use of feed and increase animal productivity owing to a change in the rumen microbial fermentation. In our work, we estimated the effect of herbal preparations (rhizomes and roots of elecampane and wormwood herb) on metabolic processes in the rumen and methanogenesis. For the study, Inulae rhizomata et radices in the following dosages per 1 kg of dry matter (DM) were used: 3.0 g, sample 1; 1.0 g, sample 2; 6.0 g, sample 3; Artemisiae absinthil herba in the following dosages per 1 kg DM were used: 5.0 g, sample 4; 2.0 g, sample 5; 10.0 g, sample 6. The study was conducted by the in vitro method using an ANKOM Daisy II incubator (modifications D200 and D200I) according to a specialized method. The rumen content was obtained from Kazakh white-headed breed bulls with chronic fistula of the rumen, average weight of 220–225 kg, aged 9–10 months. Air samples were taken to determine the methane level on a Crystallux-2000M device using a gas chromatography method. The level of volatile fatty acids (VFA) in the rumen content was determined using a gas chromatography method on a Crystallux-4000M gas chromatograph; nitrogen forms were determined according to GOST 26 180-84. The results of the study demonstrated that different dosages of phytobiotic preparations had no significant effect on the characteristics of fermentation in the gastrointestinal tract. Wormwood herb at a dosage of 10.0 g per 1 kg of DM decreased the methane production than its other dosages (p ≤ 0.05); thus, a dose of 2.0 g demonstrated an increase in the methane level in the rumen fluid (RF) by 36.5% (p ≤ 0.01); a dose of 5.0 g, by 47.5% (p ≤ 0.01). The elecampane rhizomes and roots demonstrated a high level of methane production; however, the min and max administered doses of this phytobiotic demonstrated a decrease by 38.1–38.6%.