Degradability, rumen fermentation, and rumen microbiota of livestock rations containing different levels of <i>Azolla pinnata</i>.

ABSTRACT: The scarcity of animal feeding resources has been driving the use of sustainable alternatives such as Azolla. This study evaluated the effect of replacing concentrate feed mixture (CFM) with dried Azolla (DAZ) on the in vitro digestibility of rations, rumen fermentations, gas production, and rumen microbiota. The basal diet consisted of Berseem hay and CFM (50:50), and six rations were used, in which DAZ replaced the CFM at 0% (control), 10% (T1), 20% (T2), 30% (T3), 40% (T4), and 50% (T5). Group T1 showed higher degradability of dry matter (53.13%), organic matter (62.47%), neutral detergent fiber (30.79%), and acid detergent fiber (24.72%). The same group (T1) revealed the highest propionate and lowest methane production (p < 0.05). Principal coordinate analysis (PCo

SUBMITTER: Abd-Elgwad AFA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12511962 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature